Pampas grass is a grass from South America that is highly invasive throughout coastal California. It thrives in Prunedale, colonizing bare and disturbed ground. A single plant can produce up to a million seeds in a lifetime. The tall plumes can be attractive but they are full of seeds ready to start new plants. I came upon these plants just as the sun was rising and thought they made a striking silhouette. I gave the image a sepia tone to complement the earth tones.
Flowers
27
Apr 10
Pampas Grass in Prunedale
19
Apr 10
Echium Plants at the Carmel Mission
This statue is in the courtyard of the Carmel Mission. The plants seem to lead the eye up to the face of the statue.
16
Apr 10
Echium plants in Pacific Grove
The large blooms look like feather dusters. Each spike is made up of tiny florets that are attractive to bees and hummingbirds. The plants are striking and make great foreground interest for wide-angle shots. The lens of the camera was 6 inches from the bloom in the lower left corner.
13
Apr 10
Pride of Madeira
Echium candicans, sometmes called Pride of Madeira, grows profusely along the recreation trail in Pacific Grove, California. The blooms are usually purple but may also be a cobalt blue or pink. They begin to bloom in mid to late March and are a sure sign of Spring in Monterey County.
12
Apr 10
Poppy and Raindrops
This is an early morning macro shot of a poppy in my backyard. It had rained the previous evening and this poppy had broken away from the stem. The raindrops seemed to weigh it down even more.
9
Apr 10
Yellow Orange Glow
Poppies are difficult to photograph. They are in their glory in the direct sun but that is often a harsh and flat light. They are most dramatic when back lighted but that is a challenge to expose properly. This a macro shot of poppy petals with a very shallow depth of field. With so little in focus, the yellow and orange seems to glow even more.
6
Apr 10
California Poppy Day
April 6 is designated as California Poppy Day in honor of the official State Flower. To mark the occasion, here is an image from the Antelope Valley California Poppy State Reserve. The Poppy Reserve is 1776 acres of state-protected reserve land in northern Los Angeles County, 15 miles west of Lancaster. This image was taken in late March of 2008, a few weeks before the peak bloom.
5
Apr 10
Spring in Monterey County Brings Out the Poppies
The storms have abated, the hills are drying out, the temperatures have warmed, and this is the season for poppies. Poppies are just beginning to appear along the roadsides, on the hills and in the garden. Poppies pose a challenge for the photographer. The petals close in cloudy weather which is often the most favorable light. They are delicate and move in the slightest breeze.
26
Mar 10
Daffodils in Winter
A row of Daffodils retreats into the distance. Five exposures blended together to create a High Dynamic Range image. Taken on Blackie Road above Castroville in North Monterey County, California.
16
Mar 10
Tulips in a Window
This is another experiment in lighting. The tulips were lighted by light shining through a window. I held a diffuser panel between the window and the tulips to soften the light. The black background was a piece of black foam taped to the window. 1/2 second exposure at f / 5.6.