Alabama Hills | Northern California landscape photographer
At first sight, the Alabama Hills landscape appears chaotic, full of random lines and textures, and as with many new areas there is a feeling of ‘Where do I begin?” as you take it all in. This was my second visit to the area so at least this time, I had an idea of what a few of the photography possibilities were and where to go to achieve them.
If you’ve followed my photography for a while, you know that the desert is not my first choice for a photography destination. Nor is the high desertlike topography of the rounded rocks of the Alabama Hills that lies at the base of the Sierra Nevada. I just really find this sort of geography difficult to photograph, except when there is snow in the mountains, or wildflowers, and some magical weather. Fortunately, two out of three of these conditions were present so I felt pretty lucky.
This area has quite a colorful history. Many Westerns were filmed here, as well as scenes from other movies such as Iron Man, Big Fish, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and many more. In fact, one of the main dirt roads there is called Movie Road. Think of it as the Main Street of the area. From that road and with a little hiking, one will have many sights to see: Mobius Arch, Lathe Arch, the Cyclops, and many more rock formations for which I do not know the names. From almost anywhere, Mount Whitney is visible. That icon in itself is amazing to see.
Early morning magic!
Cyclops
To view images from my first trip to Alabama Hills, check out: The Landscape of the Alabama Hills
And, because no trip is complete without a location selfie…Here I am with Mount Whitney just over my left shoulder.
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Autumn! Like many of you, it's my favorite time of year. After a warm summer (okay, HOT), the cooling temperatures are welcome. Crisp mornings and cool evenings with lovely, comfortable days. They're the best! But those changing colors are what I really look forward to in fall.
Several summers ago was a whirlwind. And, it all started with a trip to North Carolina to visit and photograph with my friends Kathy Roberts and Jennifer Carr. Kathy opened her beautiful home to us and created a photographer's dream schedule for us beginning with Roan Mountain on our first full day there.
At first sight, the Alabama Hills landscape appears chaotic, full of lines and textures, and as with many new areas there is a feeling of ‘Where do I begin?” as you take it all in. This was my second visit to the area so at least this time, I had an idea of what a few of the photography possibilities were and where to go to achieve them.
Manzanar Relocation Center is one of ten ‘internment’ camp locations of the 40’s after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and thus pulled us into WWII. Immigrants and CITIZENS of the USA with Japanese heritage were all required to leave their homes and belongings.
Surrounding oneself with nature is a sure way to renew, de-stress, and relax. That is exactly how I felt while visiting the beautiful coast and forests of the Northern California State Parks last summer. Because it is a bit remote in many areas, there is no cell coverage and no internet.
Intimate views of the landscape of Death Valley reveal nature-made mosaics full of color and texture. I was viewing landscape mosaics, artistic patchworks of rocks, minerals, and soil in colors that are not my idea of a typical desert scene. A desert landscape is shades of brown and tan, or so I believed. This was not Death Valley National Park as I remembered it.
Traveling to Death Valley, I knew ahead of time what to expect. I'd been there before quite a few years ago. But, this wasn't the Death Valley I remembered!
One of the very best things about Lassen is that it is not at all crowded. It's bittersweet, really. We were happy to have few fellow visitors. The trails and viewing areas were not crowded. Yet, it is such a beautiful place, it's a shame more people are not there to enjoy it. It's not a particularly large park as far as national parks go. Certainly not as big as Yellowstone, but it has some of the bubbling mud, sulfur springs, and other features similar to Yellowstone.
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As a published, featured northern California fine art photographer living in the greater Sacramento area, I specialize in fine art landscape, nature, and still life photography. My style is authentic, fresh and personality-driven. I offer several educational opportunities including workshops and photography mentoring. You can learn about them by going to SERVICES and WORKSHOPS. While currently living in rural northern California with my husband and a couple thousand walnut trees, I post regularly to Instagram.
Please CONTACT ME with any questions or to schedule your learning session.
Serving Yuba City/Marysville, East Nicolaus, Wheatland, Lincoln, Woodland, Davis, Roseville, Rocklin, and the greater Sacramento area.
(530) 633-7575
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The eastern Sierra is a huge draw in the autumn because of the beautiful fall color. From the rugged tufas and amazing fall color to the wild horses in the area, there is always an abundance to see and photograph this time of year.