NikonGear'23
Travelogues => Travel Diaries => Topic started by: Anirban Halder on May 31, 2017, 04:11:59
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Couple weeks back I was in California. With good rainfall this year, wildflowers were in abundance especially along Pacific Coastal Highway south of San Francisco. I didn't particularly encounter super-bloom, but thoroughly enjoyed nonetheless.
1.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4226/34837906122_576be02949_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/V5vnKQ)
2.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4223/34614000350_eab44b94a6_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/UJHNnu)
3.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4269/34613808200_c16cdda238_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/UJGPfy)
4.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4251/35001828145_f3d14889ab_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/VjZw4B)
5.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4195/34837961952_db19d095c0_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/V5vEmq)
6.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4246/34191296683_5174cd7aca_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/U6nkie)
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Anirban, all of them are gorgeous.
I can clearly see why you enjoyed the surroundings. I would spend endless hours on my knees clicking away :)
Beautiful colors and scenery!
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Nice flowers.
A naturalist would worry about most of these colourful plants actually are not native to California, as they are invasive "aliens" from South Africa. In particular the Ice Plant Carpobrotus edulis has a huge invasive potential and has firmly entrenched itself on shorelines world wide. It is even more commonly observed in the Mediterranean than in its native country of origin these days :D
However, as a photographer we can let those considerations rest for a while and enjoy the colourful display instead !!
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good series. I am flabbergasted at how much this looks like Cape Town
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Most of these plants actually are from Cape Town ...
Besides, shores and beaches tend to show similarities everywhere.
Anirban, congratulations as a member of the Millennium (posts) Club :D :D
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Anirban, all of them are gorgeous.
I can clearly see why you enjoyed the surroundings. I would spend endless hours on my knees clicking away :)
Beautiful colors and scenery!
Thanks Jakov. I could totally imagine you and 135DC spending endless hours there. Although I had the 135 with me, I ended up using 20/1.8 almost the whole time. :-X
Most of these plants actually are from Cape Town ...
Besides, shores and beaches tend to show similarities everywhere.
Thanks Bjørn and Elsa for kind words. I indeed was thinking about cape town wildflower photos while taking the lighthouse shots especially. Thanks to Bjørn's explanation, now I understand why the similarities.
Anirban, congratulations as a member of the Millennium (posts) Club :D :D
Thanks Bjørn. :) Nice to be around this inspiring forum although I didn't pick my camera for a while.
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Nice flowers.
A naturalist would worry about most of these colourful plants actually are not native to California, as they are invasive "aliens" from South Africa. In particular the Ice Plant Carpobrotus edulis has a huge invasive potential and has firmly entrenched itself on shorelines world wide. It is even more commonly observed in the Mediterranean than in its native country of origin these days :D
However, as a photographer we can let those considerations rest for a while and enjoy the colourful display instead !!
Not only shorelines in California, but Ice Plant has been used as ground cover alongside patches of roadways, and other places, in central areas of the state.
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Most of these plants actually are from Cape Town ...
Besides, shores and beaches tend to show similarities everywhere.
Anirban, congratulations as a member of the Millennium (posts) Club :D :D
Ice plant was a favorite at many spots for erosion/blowing sand control, but there are now eradication efforts and restoration to native plants which serve the same purpose. Most of the native plants are more muted in tone and don't have the supersaturated magenta flowers that make ice plant amazing.
These locations are just a short distance to the West of me, but I don't get out to the coast that often sadly.
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The first shot is of California Buckwheat which is native.
Ice plant was a favorite at many spots for erosion/blowing sand control, but there are now eradication efforts and restoration to native plants which serve the same purpose. Most of the native plants are more muted in tone and don't have the supersaturated magenta flowers that make ice plant amazing.
These locations are just a short distance to the West of me, but I don't get out to the coast that often sadly.
So, where are you exactly?
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So, where are you exactly?
Live in San Mateo. Work in Santa Clara.
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Live in San Mateo. Work in Santa Clara.
Gotcha, I was born and raised in Stockton, but, we've been in Phoenix since '78. I love the coast, but, at this point there's no chance of us moving there.
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The first shot is of California Buckwheat which is native. ...
Not a Buckwheat, but Armeria or something closely akin to that genus in the Plumbaginaceae. Buckwheat Eriogonum is in the Polygonaceae, quite a distance off in the Plant Kingdom.
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Love that last photo of the California Coast. I'm missing it !! I haven't been there for so long.
I saw Ice Plant used on some Tyrrhenian Sea dunes while I was in Italy. It is so pretty.
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The last one for me also!
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good series. I am flabbergasted at how much this looks like Cape Town
Sometimes when you post pictures they remind me very much of California :)
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Not a Buckwheat, but Armeria or something closely akin to that genus in the Plumbaginaceae. Buckwheat Eriogonum is in the Polygonaceae, quite a distance off in the Plant Kingdom.
Indeed, I did not look closely enough.
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Happens to the best of us. No worries.
I responded mainly because I literally was swamped in Armeria just a few days ago, so it kind of had printed itself a lasting impression.
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Love that last photo of the California Coast. I'm missing it !! I haven't been there for so long.
I saw Ice Plant used on some Tyrrhenian Sea dunes while I was in Italy. It is so pretty.
Thanks Andrea.
#7. One for the road,
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4228/34869260691_1b0f1edd55_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/V8h5nR)
(Near Big Sur)
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Very nice photos, Aniban!
A naturalist would worry about most of these colourful plants actually are not native to California, as they are invasive "aliens" from South Africa. In particular the Ice Plant Carpobrotus edulis has a huge invasive potential and has firmly entrenched itself on shorelines world wide. It is even more commonly observed in the Mediterranean than in its native country of origin these days :D
Thank you very much, Bjørn. These plants turn diverse coastal dune and bluff vegetation into a monoculture of almost no value for biodiversity or wildlife habitat. The problem extends south into Baja California in Mexico, which is downwind and down-current from the U.S. state of California and vulnerable to our invasive plants.
However, as a photographer we can let those considerations rest for a while and enjoy the colourful display instead !!
I can particular recommend the north part of the Monterey Peninsula around Pacific Grove for having small-leaved, small-flowered ice plants (not sure of the current genus but historically classified as Mesembryanthemum) that are absolutely spectacular in their setting.
Not only shorelines in California, but Ice Plant has been used as ground cover alongside patches of roadways, and other places, in central areas of the state.
But at least away from the immediate coastline of California, these plants are not competitive and do not create significant harm.
Not a Buckwheat, but Armeria or something closely akin to that genus in the Plumbaginaceae. Buckwheat Eriogonum is in the Polygonaceae, quite a distance off in the Plant Kingdom.
Armeria (http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=49279) indeed!
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Really nice images, Anirban - they really capture the atmosphere of the coast there. Pleasingly, they are almost free of sea haze for this time of the year.
My favourites are #1 and #5.
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"One for the road" hiding one of my favorite sites, the Bixby Creek bridge. Nice shot Anirban! :)
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Thanks a lot, Bill & Mike.
"One for the road" hiding one of my favorite sites, the Bixby Creek bridge. Nice shot Anirban! :)
"Bixby Creek bridge" it is Carl! :) Thanks.
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#6. One for the road,
I spotted that bridge instantly even though it's small in the photograph. I used to drive from Glendale, CA to Malibu and then up the Coast Highway to Lompoc and Vandenburg for a Saturday afternoon drive in a little white Corvair Monza. It was a fun car to drive if a bit tricky due to an under steer to over steer habit. I could have sworn that bridge is closer to So. CA than Big Sur. I've been across it many times but not as many as I though. I think my father had a blowout on that bridge with his 1957 Mercury Montclair around 1960. I remember hiking down to the beach with a cousin and roasting corn on an open fire. There were no trespassing signs and a fence but I found a place where the fence and signs were down. :) I started the fire with gasoline which is pretty impressive and can be quite dangerous if the fumes float on the ground too far. I didn't know how to pick corn on the cob so I choose the biggest kernels I could find, fool. 12 for a dollar in maybe 1977.
My cousin and I took a side trip up a small road where we found a cabin deep in old growth with moss hanging from the trees. It reminded me of the story of Hansel and Gretel. I expected a witch to come out and offer us a poison apple. I don't recommend driving down the coast highway at night as the fog can be really bad.
I highly recommend exploring the area.
Dave Hartman
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Anirban, gorgeous images and place. The dynamic changes on point of view makes the trip even more enjoyable.
Thanks for sharing!
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Lovely 'fresh' series with beautiful light, Anirban. I like especially 5 and 6, and 6 ;)
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Anirban - I really enjoyed this series. Great captures of a beautiful landscape and flowers.
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I spotted that bridge instantly even though it's small in the photograph. I used to drive from Glendale, CA to Malibu and then up the Coast Highway to Lompoc and Vandenburg for a Saturday afternoon drive in a little white Corvair Monza. ....
Dave Hartman
I see my photo took you down memory lane, Dave. :)
Thanks for the recommendation.
Paco, Lars - thanks for your kind comments.
John - 6 is now 7 ;D Thank you. I've more flower photos but they are rather elementary by NG standard. :)
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I see my photo took you down memory lane, Dave. :)
Thanks for the recommendation.
Paco, Lars - thanks for your kind comments.
John - 6 is now 7 ;D Thank you. I've more flower photos but they are rather elementary by NG standard. :)
I am assuming that you made the trip prior to the recent landslide that shut down Southbound Hwy 1 traffic from a point North of Big Sur? Either that, or you did a lot of driving to get from Monterey to a North looking view of Hwy 1 and the Bixby Creek bridge from a point north of San Simeon.
Ahhhh, San Simeon, I believe that the state salaried staff parties there today as though they were shirt tail relations of WR Hearst. Not during tour hours , of course. ;)