North Poppy Loop Trail, Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve SNR, Los Angeles County, CA, 4/8/2008
In spring of 2008 I spent several days exploring and photographing the flowers at Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve in Los Angeles County, CA. On this windy day, the park had been crowded with flower lovers until late afternoon when the sun disappeared behind clouds. I continued roaming the trails looking for photographic opportunities as the park emptied of visitors. To the west I could see the horizon was clear and so there was a chance the sun would eventually reemerge. As I arrived here by a dry creek on North Poppy Loop Trail, the sun came out just as I had hoped for one last time before sunset and the lighting improved immensely! The scene took on a beautiful glow known as artist's light or magic light, and the wind died down for the first time that day. I felt truly fortunate to be the only one left in the park to witness such a beautiful spectacle of nature! This particular scene makes me think of the mid-19th century settlers who traveled out west by wagon to discover an unspoiled natural garden called California.
