Tag: redwoods photography workhops

The Redwoods Are Calling Me

A journey from the craziness of the city to the serenity of the magnificent coastal redwoods.

It’s 6:00 in the morning.  I’m in my car, leaving our Southern California neighborhood and making my way to the freeway.  I’m heading north and have to cross the LA basin which, at this time of day, is not  easy.  But I have a destination that is calling me.  I’m on my way to the redwoods of Northern California, 800 miles from home.  I’m looking forward to feeling small and insignificant and renewed among these magnificent trees.

There are two types of redwood trees in North America and practically all of them are in California.  The coastal redwoods, where I’m headed, are the tallest living organisms on the planet with the tallest topping out at 379 feet.  They are found in groves that span over 450 miles from Big Sur in the south to just across the Oregon border in the north.  They thrive on the fogs that are common along the coast.

The other redwood tree is the Giant Sequoia that grows on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains.  Where the coastal redwoods are tall and slender, the giant sequoia are of enormous girth.  They are considered to be the most massive living organism on the planet.  (But a rumor is spreading that a coastal redwood was found recently that is more massive than the largest giant sequoia, and thereby giving the coastal redwoods both titles.)

I made it out of the LA basin, crossed over the Grapevine on I-5 and into the great central valley of California.  This stretch of I-5 is considered by many to be the most boring highway in the country with mile after mile of pretty much the same, barren landscape.  After what seems like endless hours I turn west towards the Bay Area.  This will be anything but uneventful.

Making it through the East Bay is more than 100 miles of congestion and is not something I look forward to.  In fact, it’s fair to say that I dread it.  I enjoy the Richmond Bridge; I think I like it more than Golden Gate.  But getting there usually requires navigating mile upon mile of stop and go traffic and once it is crossed, there’s more of the same on the other side.  Arg.

But when it’s finally behind me the promise of the serene redwoods comes over me and I’m excited again, re-energized and eager to continue.

Peaceful moment redwoods 160803 SM3129
Reed Simpson Grove in Jedediah Smith State Park.

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Touch the Sky

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How many times have you seen a photograph of tall trees taken with the camera pointing straight up and the trees converging high in the sky? It’s a pretty common shot. Standing in a grove, turning your eyes upward and wondering at the enormity of these living things, putting camera to eye and pressing the shutter is compelling.

But, to paraphrase Minor White, one of the great pioneers of fine art photography, it’s important to get into the habit of seeing ‘what else is there.’ And one way to find the ‘something else’ is to say to yourself, ‘OK, let’s do something craaaazy!”

I mounted my widest lens on my camera, got my tripod as low as it would go and laid down in the dirt to compose this image. People looked at me like I was craaaazy – which I was. I wanted to capture this incredible tree from ground to crown. There were a few technical details to work out like depth of field and exposure (there always are technical details with digital photography) but the main thing was to capture as much of this tree as I possibly could, so I could share with you the wonder I was feeling.

And a very close second was to let my inner child out and lay in the dirt, gazing into the upper reaches of this towering marvel.

Notice how the tree comes out of the bottom left corner and stretches to the right on a slight diagonal. That was intentional because that little angle changes this image from something static to a much more interesting one that is dynamic, alive. A simple, yet powerful technique.

You can do this yourself. Here are a couple of tips. When you see something you want to photograph, shoot it the way you normally would. But then, get crazy. Let yourself go and play with other ways of viewing your subject. You don’t have to get in the dirt if you don’t want to…, but I highly recommend it.

Also, be aware of diagonal lines in your image. They add motion and energy and make the photograph more interesting.

And finally, fill the frame with your subject. Don’t be afraid to move in closer or, if you have a zoom lens, zoom in tight. Like this tree, make your subject the dominant element in your photograph.

Oh, and don’t forget the experience itself. Bringing home a nice photograph, a keeper, is rewarding but that does not outshine the thrill of being there among these tall giants. It is a time to grow quiet and let Mother Nature speak to you in her soft, still voice.

By the way, this tree is in the Lady Bird Johnson grove at Prairie Creek State Park in Northern California. The tree stands in a small clearing where Lady Bird, Richard Nixon and other dignitaries stood when the grove was dedicated to her. There’s a nice bronze plaque commemorating the moment. Makes it kind of special.

Join me to photograph Redwoods National and State Parks in May from the 21st to the 24th. It’s the perfect time to be there.  For more information, click here.

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