"Winter, Spring, Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall"

The previous week, the temps reached into the 70's. Flowers were blooming, buds were popping and the hillsides were greening. That's the way the weather works in this area of Southern California. On Saturday, I checked the forecast for the mountains. Snow levels down to 2,000 feet were expected overnight. On Sunday morn at 4:30 am, I was brewing coffee and getting my camera ready. By 5:40, I was on location. I had hoped for the clouds to break early, but no such luck. By sunrise at 6:40, I was in the middle of a whiteout in a white wonderland. I knew that to get "the shot", the clouds would need to let some of that warm light through. When I backtracked to my favorite spot, things were changing quick. I had been here earlier and the light was squeaking through, but in the process of putting on my hiking boots, it was gone just as quick. Note to self for next time: It pays to be fully prepared! OK, so now I am getting a second break. Hopping the barbwire fence, I slug across fairly deep snow to get a clean shot of this adorned tree just as the light shoots through to brighten an acre or so of the angled slope. "The Shot" has been recorded and I am feeling redeemed. I am sure this scene appears cold. Interestingly, I didn't even experience the first bit of discomfort. I never even put on my gloves, and I have a metal tripod. This was a really good morning to be out...and to be alive!!

The image title: These are the revised lyrics of Carol King's infamous

song, sung by James Taylor so many years ago, as they would be sung in

South Central California. The Larger version is generous. Thanks for your

impressions!

I love the tones of this picture, and also the unusual light conditions.

Sublime light and shot, Mark, kudos to your persistence!  I might dial down the light on the oak trunk just a skosh but that's a matter of personal taste.  The right side of this image would make a stunning vertical composition.

i think it is one of your best photos. interesting light and composition. a masterpiece.

Thank you Zsolt Simay, Dave and Zsolt Andras Szabo! Zsolt Simay, the light was indeed unusual, more so than all the other I exposures I made this morning, about 150 I think. Others were close, but this one just had that perfect angle of light. Dave, when you say "dial down", I take it to mean darken or add contrast. Certainly a personal preference. I like the suggestion, but as I have seen so much here and elsewhere, clamping down the black point for snowy scenes is not accurate to the original scene, at least IMHO! With so much white, especially on the ground, all that light is reflecting, and much of it upward. I make it a point to just touch the black point and then back off a couple of points. Then, if I want more contrast elsewhere, I just dial it in locally. Zsolt Andras Szabo, I am often asked which of my images are my own favorite, and I always reply; the one I just processed. In this case, however, I think this one will remain a favorite of mine long beyond it's novelty. Thanks all for stopping in!!

I like this very much!!

Thank you Pekka for the kind comment!

A very artistic compo of a typical Californian hillside to be found in and around the Central Valley and at adjacent areas. Amazing, how it looks entirely different during winter in contrast of summer. Great lights, contrasts of shapes and lines. A meditative and unique scene.

BR / Volker

Beautiful! That sunlight in the middle is miracle in the midst of the snow and storm clouds.

A superb capture of this gorgeous scene Mark! I love the lighting here. It really makes the image so much more attractive. Love the excellent detail in the foreground tree. Well done guy!

All the best,
Neil

Thanks Volker, Linda and Neil for stopping by! I appreciate the kind remarks!!

That's really a great atmosphere!!

Mark,

The colors, light and atmosphere are excellent. I just could not get past the trees, especially the one in the foreground, growing out of the ground at an unnatural angle. I adjusted your photo 25 degrees counterclockwise and while the hills became horizontal, your photo still retained its excellence.

David

Thanks Enrico and David! David, that tree is rather interesting. It seems some trees go with the flow and some don't. The taller pines grow against the grade, with vertical gravity. This old oak just grows with the grade. While your adjustment corrects the trees orientation, it is not accurate to the actual slope. These mountains are extremely steep, too steep to walk easily. Obviously correcting the image orientation in PS would require a substantial crop. I set the camera to level with a spirit level in my hotshoe, so the only other thing making the tree list forward and down is the wide angle lens. This is a 17-70, so it is equivalent to a 25mm full frame, not too wide for excessive distortion. The tree really grows at an angle, it just looks a little odd. My best explanation is that the oaks have a heavy canopy, compared to the pines. The canopy grows out from the bottom close to the ground, as you can see. This causes a weight distribution that forces the tree to accept the slope. I'm no botanist, but it sounds good!

Mark,

Thank you for the explanation. I will have to adjust my "logical" thinking to accept the reality of the scene. Now, having received your assurance that the photo was taken as shown, the "anomaly" makes your photo that much more interesting.

David 

David, check out "February's Bedspread" in the same folder. It clearly shows the various trees and this one is hugging the slope, unlike the taller pines in the distance!

Mark,

Curiosity got the better of me. I think it all has to do with phototropism and gravitropism. There is another term that I came across concerning the natural spread of the tree limbs of certain trees also determining vertical growth but I can not find the term without spending a lot of time retracing my steps. Like you, I am not a botanist. I saw the effect in another photo of yours "Transition of Seasons". The flowers seem to be at an angle. At first I thought the wide angle lens may be responsible. But in any event I enjoy looking at your photos and I count several of them among my favorites.

David

Mark...  I'm a little late with a comment, but I've been by several times to comment and just couldn't come up with the descriptive of how this hits me.  I, too, was wondering about the verticals, but accept your explanation (you know my obsessiveness with horizons in landscapes).  This series of shots seem unreal (in a good way), fairy tale like with their lighting and partial snow...  like a huge snow globe.  Anyway, truly unique and, as always, beautifully captured in superb detail... Mike

Thanks for the continued discussion David. Very interesting! Hey Mike, always good to hear from you! Being present for this scene was truly enthralling. When the clouds are breaking around and below, makes you feel like you're up on Everest. I am going to go back and document this tree and then do some research. I'm finally working on adding a blog (long overdue) to my website. I will make this one of my current topics. I hope to update the blog with photography that elicits other phenomena if you will, this being one!