It is all about the light

Checking in

Although I haven’t completely lost interest in photography, I must confess that I have not picked the camera in a while. The heat, the harsh light and all the uninspiring summer drama. I have been learning to climb, probably not what a middle-aged woman with low bone density should be doing, but that takes up quite some of my free time. I also wrote a short story on a whim the other day: a creative endeavor but certainly not photography.

My show “Botanical Beauty” with my friend Beth Savidge ends today. The two receptions were a blast: well-attended, and fun.

I am glad that I have this blog to write. It keeps the coals burning ad reminds me that I’m still a photographer.

The vision

I have a collection of photographs portraying California’s Sacramento Valley, which is the northern portion of the Central Valley. This collection is all in black and white.

In my previous posts, I’ve aimed to provide some tips and guidelines on composition. I noted that photographing the Central Valley landscape is challenging due to its limited redeeming beauty and anchor points. In this post I show an image of Mammatus clouds over the landscape. Not a compositional strategy, but something cool to observe and record.

The photoshoot

On February 2, 2023, I went to the Rush Ranch in Fairfield. The morning was cloudy, and the light was spotty. Large above the hills, Mammatus clouds seemed to dominate the landscape when I took the FEATURED PHOTOGRAPH (f/16, 1/320s, ISO 320).

Mammatus clouds

Mammatus clouds are pouch-like formations that hang from the underside of a larger cloud, usually a cumulonimbus. These dramatic clouds are associated with turbulent air and strong downdrafts. Though they look ominous, mammatus clouds themselves don’t produce severe weather, they’re a visual sign of instability in the atmosphere. Their beauty makes them one of the most photographed and admired cloud formations in meteorology.

Previous posts about the collection

• The gate is locked – the beauty and bleakness of California’s Central Valley- a new project;
• The beauty and bleakness of California’s Central Valley- part two;
• The beauty and bleakness of California’s Central Valley- part three;
• The beauty and bleakness of California’s Central Valley- part four;
• The beauty and bleakness of California’s Central Valley- part five;
• The beauty and bleakness of California’s Central Valley- part six;
• The beauty and bleakness of California’s Central Valley- part seven;
• Winter photography in Butte County: Another image from the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area;
• Winter photography in Colusa County: Sacramento Wildlife Refuge and migratory birds;

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Wall Art Botanical Images

Wall Art Photography projects

Wall Art landscapes and miscellaneous

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