Wildflowers, Arvin, CA

Last week I went to Route 223 near Arvin in Southern
California. The fields were covered with flowers
like this for several miles. It was an overcast
day with a bit of fog that had lifted just as I got
there. Consequently, for mood and so as to not
chop off the top of some hills I included part of
the sky. Is the sky distracting? Also do you feel
that my composition lacks symmetry? As always I
welcome your comments.

Canon 10D
Tamron 28-300 Zoom Lens
Bogen Manfrotto Tripod
White Balance--Cloudy

Robert Dayton
http://www.robertdaytonphotography.ifp3.com

Great field of flowers!! Nice find. I don't find the sky distracting. The look of the fog in the background goes nice with the light in the image. I might bright up the lower right corner a bit to even out the look of the flowers, but nicely done image. I think the composition has a fine flow to it. The grass and rocks provide a nice middle ground and the flowers nicely weave through the frame.

Thanks for the compliments, Harley. I don't know if I can brighten up the lower
right corner with my recently purhased Elements 7. That may require a more
advanced Photoshop than Elements 7. However, I'll see if it's doable and give
it a try. Perhaps you're talking about some form of layers or masking. I'm kind
of a novice at that sort of thing.

Incidentally, since you seem to like wildflowers, I would recommend the
location that Floris mentioned over the weekend northeast of State Rt. 180
out of Fresno in the Kings River Valley. I went there and drove roads such
as E. Trimmer, Elwood, and near the small communityof Piedra. Also I got
a report yesterday that the wildflower display, particularly Poppies with Bush
Lupine nearing peak, at Knights Ferry east of Modesto is good now. Beware
of rattlesnakes in this area. The lady added that traveling HWY 108 until it
joins HWY 120 is also very pretty.

Robert,

That is a gorgeous shot! I really like the blue and green colors. The clouds are fine over the hills.

Was this shot from the roadside or where you able to walk onto the ranch?

Thanks for posting.

Derek

Thank you, Derek. It was a roadside shot. I was right against the fence.
This was easy photography and very enjoyable. I worked under this kind
of lighting for at least two hours. I moved my car about 200 yards periodi-
cally and did some moderate walking along the fence line. Occasionally
I would see other photographers stop and shoot. No one jumped the
fence that I noticed. I know that I didn't. At one point a security car drove by.
I believe the field belonged to the Tejon Ranch but I'm not sure.

I like it. It is a bit dark but you went at a great time. The comp is fine. With flowers that nice, symmetry wouldn't make a difference.

The fog really adds to the scene here, when I was there it was just hazy and didn't quite work. The trees on the hills look a little blue/magenta I think, and overall it's a bit dark, but I love the composition - those rocks break up the field nicely.

Very elegant and moody scene, Robert. These are the type of scenes we rarely get here in So Cal. Basically stated, it takes real weather to obtain a bit more beyond just a visual impact. The fog here brings that touch of feeling and understanding of the conditions out there too.

Thanks for all the compliments. This spring is turning out to
be great for wildlflowers. I've lightened the above image and
reposted. Please let me know what you think.