Poppy Explosion

I decided to take my two kids for a wildflower trip this weekend to the Merced Canyon. With iffy weather forecasted I was uncertain how the viewing would be. But once there we realized sun or no sun it was going to be an amazing couple of days.

This shot was taken from the Hites Cove Trail which is in full bloom right now. What an incredible trail carved in the side of a steep cliff which winds along the South Fork of the Merced River.

Special thanks to Lon for the encouragement to go!

Here is the larger version:
http://landandseaphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/7692690_JAj6E#496977873_HDdWQ-A-LB

Here is one I may like a little more:
http://landandseaphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/7692690_JAj6E#497063547_tsHXf-A-LB

Here are some of the others I have processed so far:
http://landandseaphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/7692690_JAj6E#496977873_HDdWQ

BTW, the blur of the background is intensional. But I am still experimenting with the effect. The second one may use this approach a little better.

Derek

Derek, all look wonderful. I tend to like number one the best of the group. I especially like the diagonal view on that image. I might try TK's masks on that to bring the highlights down some, but it looks like a fine image to work with to me. Thanks for sharing all of these.

See poppies, popcorn flower, and a few blue dicks. Yeah that is a nifty trail with the cliff-like dropoff along much of the route. Conveniently it is only the first mile that is really worth hiking as the following 4 plus to the old mining site are ho hum. I was focused down canyon in the Telegraph wildfire burn areas on my two visits though a friend of mine hiked HC a bit last week and said it was an average showing this year.

Two weekends ago the poppies were peaking with no fallen petals to be seen. This last Saturday, a modest number of petals had fallen. But that cold windy storm with its heavy rain certainly decimated lots of poppies. Many other species had just come out between my visits and were likely robust enough to withstand that storm. In the wee hours at nearby Mariposa, lightning, thunder, wind, and heavy rain lasted over two hours and then at dawn it began snowing down to the 2k elevation. Was wondering on my first visit why the redbuds were all still mostly dormant. The last weekend most were budding out so will be flowering in the next few weekends, a bit later than usual.


David Senesac
http://www.davidsenesac.com

I like them all, Derek, but of the three I prefer the first. I've been to the Merced River
Canyon three times recently but have not gone back Hite's Cove Trail yet. It's nice
that you spend quality time with your children.

David,

We were there both Saturday and Sunday. So we saw the areas before, during and after the storm. And along HC trail very few petals were fallen. The next morning they were all closed of course. But I would say that display is still is very good shape. Here are some right after the rain:

http://landandseaphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/7692690_JAj6E#497812967_3fag7-XL-LB

http://landandseaphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/7692690_JAj6E#497895871_vb5dd-A-LB

We van camped at the Indian Flat Campground Saturday night. We awoke to snow on the peaks, some of which extended into the poppy fields. It was definately a clash of the seasons:

http://landandseaphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/7692690_JAj6E#497774357_8JWd7-XL-LB

http://landandseaphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/7692690_JAj6E#497782965_PKDuW-XL-LB

Derek

Nice scenes Derek, I like the mix of the poppies and white flowers, good contrasts. I'm undecided about the OOF river in the back, but it certainly provides an interesting perspective.

Thanks guys.

Floris, I am also undecided about the OOF background in this particular shot. I think it works a bit better in some of the other shots. Honestly I was trying to mix things up a bit and try something different than the standard f22 front to back in-focus shot. But that being said I wish I had done one like that to have something to compare it with.

I do think that effect works better in these two images, although the original above has a stronger overall comp:
http://landandseaphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/7692690_JAj6E#497063547_tsHXf-A-LB

http://landandseaphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/7692690_JAj6E#497068466_DR9qA-A-LB

Derek

The last one posted here link wise is very nice, Derek.