Posted by Benjamin Glatt on February 26, 2008 at 12:36 AM
David Senesac's recent post got me thinking. Spring is on it's way, and I think we should organize a CANP Spring photo trip. Depending on how far folks want to drive, we could go to Redwood NP and get the Rhododendrons, go to Antelope Valley to shoot some poppies, or do the Yosemite thing.
Just a thought.
Anyone interested?
Posted by Ed Cooley on February 26, 2008 at 10:51 AM
Aren't the dates of these blooms a little spread out for one trip?
Posted by Sharon Menke on February 26, 2008 at 12:10 PM
I am going to Borrego Springs the weekend of March 7. I have been receiving notices that the blooms should be at their peak there the first 2 weeks of March. If anyone is interested, please e-mail me and we can make arrangements to get together.
Posted by Benjamin Glatt on February 26, 2008 at 12:32 PM
No, those are just some possible options. There's no way we could do all three.
Posted by Ed Cooley on February 26, 2008 at 8:22 PM
Benjamin, The image on the front of your site is awesome.
Posted by Richard Wong on February 26, 2008 at 9:25 PM
ill be around So Cal most likely looking for flowers.
Posted by Jimmy Gekas on February 27, 2008 at 1:19 PM
I am planning on heading to Borrego a few times during the first two or three weeks of March, with the possibility of J-Tree and DV mixed in.
All this flowering was supposed to be happening during April. I gotta change my plans now. Looks great!
Posted by David Senesac on March 3, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Just back from JT. Twas superb last week. But it was a warm fair weather week and desert wildflowers quickly go through the cycle when it does. Yesterday's severe desert winds have likely dessicated and torn up a lot of the flower areas. ( http://www.pe.com/localnews/rivcounty/stories/PE_News_Local_D_winds03.38e0e33.html )
Good luck with those intending to work AB though I have some doubts they have received enough rain for anything special. As for a group trip, the problems are several just like trying to get people together in the fall in the Eastern Sierra. The areas are often vast so the choices are many and logistics each day considerable. No one knows what is most worth putting the time and effort into shooting, until getting a first hand view and making an assessment. Thus it is unlikely a photographer is going to set up shop at location B waiting over a few days for people to show up while location C, 20 miles away is really better. Of course if you can get a number of people to all show up at the same time somewhere, that would work. However since we all come from vastly spread regions, complicated by each of our life priorities like work, that is something unlikely to happen beyond 2 or 3 people, though good luck if you could pull it off.
My bet now is the last week of March will be when Antelope Valley/Gorman goes off. Shell Creek ought to be good and my guess is the third week of March. And Carrizo in limited areas might be fairly good though could really use more rain. Later on, the central and southern Sierra Foothill lower elevation canyons are all likely to be really strong early April into mid May. ...David
Posted by Steve Sieren on March 3, 2008 at 10:39 PM
Benjamin I would love to join you at Redwood NP and get the Rhododendrons. I heard that was in May but maybe thats not right.
I was just up the Santa Monica Mountains on a jog up to Mugu Peak yesterday and found lots of shooting stars and a colorful sunset but I didn't have my tripod. Never go anywhere with out your equipment. I wished I had a macro lens at that moment.
I'll be in Death Valley the weekend of the 22nd if anyone cares to join.
David: I don't know if you've been through Gorman in the last few days, but it's looking pretty brown and dry. I wouldn't count on it being anything special this year (but I am willing to be wrong )
Thanks Michael, thats a good first hand report. I based my assessment on the precipitation maps posted on my site that area merely model estimates for that are since it has no remote weather stations and the fact the late January storm made big news supposedly piling up a lot of snow along the Grapevine. However last Sunday driving south down SR58 I noted that whole zone looked less green than usual. Storm winds passing from the southwest over Gorman would tend to move towards the SR223 Arvin area so that had me wondering? So it may be the really heavy rain recorded nearby at the poppy reserve was not too widespread towards the east. In a couple weeks others ought to report something more solid beyond our speculations. ...David
Discussion
12 repliesJust a thought.
Anyone interested?
Good luck with those intending to work AB though I have some doubts they have received enough rain for anything special. As for a group trip, the problems are several just like trying to get people together in the fall in the Eastern Sierra. The areas are often vast so the choices are many and logistics each day considerable. No one knows what is most worth putting the time and effort into shooting, until getting a first hand view and making an assessment. Thus it is unlikely a photographer is going to set up shop at location B waiting over a few days for people to show up while location C, 20 miles away is really better. Of course if you can get a number of people to all show up at the same time somewhere, that would work. However since we all come from vastly spread regions, complicated by each of our life priorities like work, that is something unlikely to happen beyond 2 or 3 people, though good luck if you could pull it off.
My bet now is the last week of March will be when Antelope Valley/Gorman goes off. Shell Creek ought to be good and my guess is the third week of March. And Carrizo in limited areas might be fairly good though could really use more rain. Later on, the central and southern Sierra Foothill lower elevation canyons are all likely to be really strong early April into mid May. ...David
I was just up the Santa Monica Mountains on a jog up to Mugu Peak yesterday and found lots of shooting stars and a colorful sunset but I didn't have my tripod. Never go anywhere with out your equipment. I wished I had a macro lens at that moment.
I'll be in Death Valley the weekend of the 22nd if anyone cares to join.