"Rankin Ranch Rising"

This view of the Rankin Ranch captures the character of the Walker Basin near Caliente, California. A wide flat valley surrounded by mountains, the valley supports many farms and ranches. The Rankin Ranch and the nearby Lightner Ranch are rich in history. The setting is like no other. The nearby Caliente-Bodfish road crosses the west side of the valley under the shadow of 7,500 foot Breckenridge Mountain. On the opposite side are the Piute Mountains at nearly 8,500 feet. Prior to crossing the Valley, the road summits the Centennial Ridge of the Southern Sierra Nevada, offering sweeping and expansive views of the Tehachapi Mountains to the south and the Caliente Creek Valley and Tehachapi Creek Valley beyond. This was taken from the roof of my Mitsubishi Lancer. Not the most stable platform, but it sure gets good mileage. For me, this is the west at it's best. Thanks for stopping by!

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Mark... What a wonderful setting, scene and atmosphere. You've captured it so well that it's very possible to hear the ranch sounds and smell... well, it's very near perfect. Perfect would have a pair of horses there in the corner of the fence. Believe me, "near perfect" is exceptional.... Thanks for sharing... Mike

 

 

Excellent composition, Mark.You have captured the area well.I drove thru the Tehachapi area the day you took this shot on my way home from Utah / Arizona.

I knew it was yours as soon as it came up :)....the lighting, the colors the wonderful composition. Beautiful Mark! Take care, Leslie

Thanks Mike, David and Leslie. Leslie, I like it when someone says they recognize my images just by looking at a preview. I am encouraged by those words because as a photographer, one of my more significant endeavors is to somehow separate myself from the crowd. While I may at times try to emulate some of the great photographers on this platform, I don't want to be a copycat. I do believe that my style, however, is in many ways shaped by my location. In the past two years, I have dedicated myself to capturing the character of the immediate surroundings. For me, this is the Central Valley and Southern Sierra Foothills. I think there is so much personality in this region. I like to think of this area as the gritty west. Yes, it may also reveal itself as pristine and graceful, but very often it shows itself in more edgy ways. The land becomes quite harsh once the late winter green is gone and the wildflowers have succumbed to the relentless sun and heat. When I can convey that harsher quality in a somewhat aesthetically pleasing way, then I know I have succeeded. It is not an easy thing to do!