Posted by David Senesac on March 15, 2010 at 2:25 AM
I've hiked about the local SF Bay region every weekend since New Years and nailed a few nice pics at Coe and Pacheco. But now into March we are finally in the real spring wildflower season so Friday in pouring rain set out towards the central Sierra foothills for the first overnight road trip of the year. All these are Canon G10 pics though exposed nine 4x5 sheets this weekend I'll get film back in a couple weeks.
Something I exposed a 4x5 sheet on about the Kings River area below Pine Flat Resevoir with snow-like blankets of popcorn flower and fiddleneck on very green grasses.
Major rain Friday night, mostly cloudy, cool, and breezy Saturday 3/13 so poppies stayed curled up reducing image impacts. Some large areas of poppies along Trimmer Springs Road all the way to Trimmer Springs. The huge serpentine slopes of Hog Mountain have millions of poppies, fiddleneck, and goldfields but the non-native oat grasses have grown up higher. Probably send a report to Carol at Calphoto on this area. Pretty muchy off the radar of photographers while I won't be saying anything about where I went Sunday.
Came across a patch of these uncommon jewel flowers so worked awhile getting a good close up. It was breezy haha so I cheated by bracing the stem against a second tripod. Used fill flash and a diffuser to weaken direct sun:
Sunday back in the Coast Range, a couple of G10 pics from behind NO TRESPASSING signed barbed wire just to give a sense of the kind of place this be. Gilias, poppies, goldfields. Behind the fence one gets stuff like that ugly brown dirt hole. Got a name of a rancher from a local I asked as to who owns the land. Now to hatch a plan this week to approach owner. Maybe 5 pro photogs at $20 apiece? Almost pulled out my 4x5 for the second image but the perspective would have been much better about 50 feet beyond the barbed wire Note I cropped off all the foreground ugliness.
Posted by Derek Sedillo on March 15, 2010 at 12:34 PM
David,
Thanks for the report and images. Things are definately picking up especially in certain regions like the ones you discovered. Yet there seems to be more of a staggering of the bloom this year as some places are behind schedule compared to previous years.
I really like those coastal blooms you found as well. That would be cool if you manage to gain access even if limited.
The next few weeks are going to be interesting indeed.
Discussion
1 repliesSomething I exposed a 4x5 sheet on about the Kings River area below Pine Flat Resevoir with snow-like blankets of popcorn flower and fiddleneck on very green grasses.
http://www.davidsenesac.com/Spring_2010/HJ0573.jpg
Another nearby spot exposed a 4x5 sheet with some poppies and bush lupine.
http://www.davidsenesac.com/Spring_2010/HJ0575.jpg
Major rain Friday night, mostly cloudy, cool, and breezy Saturday 3/13 so poppies stayed curled up reducing image impacts. Some large areas of poppies along Trimmer Springs Road all the way to Trimmer Springs. The huge serpentine slopes of Hog Mountain have millions of poppies, fiddleneck, and goldfields but the non-native oat grasses have grown up higher. Probably send a report to Carol at Calphoto on this area. Pretty muchy off the radar of photographers while I won't be saying anything about where I went Sunday.
Came across a patch of these uncommon jewel flowers so worked awhile getting a good close up. It was breezy haha so I cheated by bracing the stem against a second tripod. Used fill flash and a diffuser to weaken direct sun:
http://www.davidsenesac.com/Spring_2010/HJ0591.jpg
Sunday back in the Coast Range, a couple of G10 pics from behind NO TRESPASSING signed barbed wire just to give a sense of the kind of place this be. Gilias, poppies, goldfields. Behind the fence one gets stuff like that ugly brown dirt hole. Got a name of a rancher from a local I asked as to who owns the land. Now to hatch a plan this week to approach owner. Maybe 5 pro photogs at $20 apiece? Almost pulled out my 4x5 for the second image but the perspective would have been much better about 50 feet beyond the barbed wire Note I cropped off all the foreground ugliness.
http://www.davidsenesac.com/Spring_2010/HK0606.jpg
http://www.davidsenesac.com/Spring_2010/HK0621.jpg
Did expose some 4x5 sheets in this area. Parcels of BLM and some state lands in this area.
http://www.davidsenesac.com/Spring_2010/HK0616.jpg
Thanks for the report and images. Things are definately picking up especially in certain regions like the ones you discovered. Yet there seems to be more of a staggering of the bloom this year as some places are behind schedule compared to previous years.
I really like those coastal blooms you found as well. That would be cool if you manage to gain access even if limited.
The next few weeks are going to be interesting indeed.
Derek