Apple Hill

Our first trip to Apple Hill this season.  I think it's a little early to head up here, but we wanted to get the cider and donuts before Eric has to go back to school.  And it was nice to drive around all the orchards without too much traffic.  I'll head back up here in October to get my secret blend of apples for making applesauce.  I'll appreciate going back when it's cooler; apple orchard visits should not be 90 degree events!

As to the black and white, I'm obviously needing a little break from it.  I have learned that the camera sensor has three filters: green, red, and blue.  And the camera remembers data from each sensor, so once the photo is converted to black and white, the tone of things that would be red, green, or blue in color can be altered.  So for example, I could make the apple light gray and the leaves dark gray, or I could make the apple dark gray and the leaves light gray.  But WHY? 

September 17

This one falls into the category of photos I'd like to take again.  We were just leaving the Apple Hill region outside of Placerville when I saw this pretty scene.  The sun was going down so fast though that I didn't dare change my lens because it would take too much time.  But I'd like to take this shot with a wider lens.  Just to the left of this scene was a black stallion.  I didn't even notice him until two golf carts came by, one after the other, and both drivers asked me if I was photographing the black stallion.  So I tried, but the fences and colors were just much prettier with the barn and grass in the shot.  f/5.6 at 1/200, ISO500, 80mm.