Spring Green

This is also from South Yuba River State Park.  Before you enter the canyon, you're at a much higher elevation, full of pine trees, but as you descend into the canyon it becomes filled with these valley oaks.  I was imagining a photo of these trees just as they were leafing out, but as you can see from this photo, I missed that event.  Probably by a few week too.  What inspired me to come here was an episode of Project Runway.  I'm a huge fan, and in Thursday's show they did the Lord and Taylor spring challenge.  I was so excited by Michelle's chartreuse version of spring, because I also associate that color with spring.  Her dress was chartreuse and gray, which is perfect for the Pacific Northwest (Michelle is from Portland).  They already wear that color so much there for visibility while exercising.  And spring is so gray and green there anyway.  We don't have much option for gray here.  Maybe if there was a fog.  (In my dreams this photo involves tender chartreuse leaf buds and a gray fog).  I really missed getting the chartreuse shot I wanted in Napa a few weeks ago, and now again here.  That means I have to wait for next year...photography is so hit or miss when it comes to weather and seasonal events.

Woodland Farm and Valley Oak

 Or...My 2013 New Year's Resolution

This photo was taken almost exactly a year ago.  I was browsing through my "seconds" folder yesterday and happened upon it.  I remember liking it a lot, but really objecting to that crooked telephone pole in the distance.  I remember returning to the scene to recreate the photo from a slightly different angle without the pole, and of course the light was never the same.  First off, today I happen to really like that pole.  But the other thing I realized when I was thinking about all the trouble I went through with this photo is that at this time last year I didn't know how to clone a little telephone pole out of a photo using Photoshop, and this is something I could easily do today.  This just seems crazy to me now.  And the fact is, I barely know Photoshop.

This really hit home for me yesterday too, because I had one of my favorite new photos printed at Blue Wing Art Gallery in Woodland.  (And I would highly recommend them for printing if you live in the Sacramento area!)  Al at Blue Wing corrected some of the issues with my photo.  On the one hand they were sort of minor, but on the other hand, they weren't easy fixes in Photoshop at all.  I was really in awe of this, and I know it's a little early for New Year's Resolutions, but I'm going to put some serious time into really learning Photoshop in 2013.

For me, Photoshop is a little like the old Rumsfeldian quandary in Iraq.  With Photoshop, there are the "known knowns", the "known unknowns", and then there are the "unknown unknowns" of which I'm becoming vaguely aware.  My goal is to use a less heavy-handed approach to processing photos in 2013.  I'm not super excited about the work.  I would much rather be out shooting photos with my camera than sitting at the computer and working on photos.  But I'm excited about the possible outcome. 

A Mockingbird in an Oak Tree

My local variation of a classic Christmas carol!  :)  

Actually mockingbirds are ridiculously easy to photograph.  I think they are mesmerized by the sound of the auto focus beep on my camera; studying it in hopes of imitating it.  Sometimes when I'm photographing birds I have to turn the auto focus beep off, which I don't like to do.  Even though I can see the camera focusing, I'm reassured by the sound of the beep.  And the mockingbird is too, I guess.

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

A mockingbird in an oak tree...

Under Valley Oak and Fog

Another foggy morning from last winter.  And exciting news.  I just found out today that one of my photos got into the California State Fair!  Yippee!   You can click here to view the photo.  

Valley Oak Arch

From my trip to South Yuba River State Park in early November. 

April 14

Today's photo is from Table Mountain near Oroville.  The wildflowers are blooming up there right now, and it was a popular location for a hike today in picture perfect weather.  I'll probably post a few more photos from this walk in coming days.

Happy Two Year Anniversary to 45 Journal!  Today's post officially starts my third year photo-blogging.  This was supposed to be a one year project, so starting the third year makes me wonder where I'm going with this.  But I'm still having fun with it, so for now it looks like I'll keep going...   :)

March 8

A lone valley oak was putting out leaves this morning on a hill near Vacaville.  I think these colors work nicely together; more of my spring green, plus the first good sky color we've had in quite a while!

February 11

I'm posting early today in anticipation of a long day without my camera.  This was also taken yesterday on my trip to Yolo, although this might still be Woodland.  I'm not sure where the boundry is out here.  The little white lines in the field are a new orchard taking root.  Most orchards around here are walnut or almond, and they must be very profitable because more and more are being planted.  I'm glad they left this beautiful valley oak.

November 3

Hazy day today up near South Yuba River State Park.  It was a good day to photograph Valley Oaks with their interesting branch shapes.  The problem with this photo is the gray patch in the lower right.  It's the side of my car.  This scene was in front of me just before a sharp curve on a 15% grade descent into the canyon.  There was nowhere to pull over and park, so I just stopped my car, leaned out the window, and took the picture.  I probably would have gotten out and taken the photo, but someone came up behind me.  If only I had a longer torso!  f/3.5 at 1/100, ISO125, 80mm.