Darvin Atkeson
Round Valley Sky Panorama - California Coastal Range (30 Megapixel Project)
Best when Viewed On Black or better yet, visit my photostream on Fluidr
I decided to do something different today and stay close to home and check
out a small and well hidden regional park known simply as Round Valley.
It's just over the hill from my house and I had yet to explore it even
after 12 years living in the area. As often is the case a few contacts
here on Flickr had some awesome shots that inspired me to go so I have to
thank them. (Marc Crumpler & Mani Sheriar)
I woke at about 4 AM and hoping to get sunrise shots I got underway by 5 AM.
I did some quick research on Google Maps looking for the easiest way in to
the Valley. Driving over the Morgan Territory Road I made my way to Los
Vaqueros Reservoir hoping to access Round Valley from the southern end based
on a road that shows up on Google Maps and would enter Round Valley right on
the southern edge. It would be just an easy walk in to the valley. I
arrived at the Reservoir just in time for a somewhat interesting sunrise
only to be thwarted by a closed road. I enquired within only to find out
that the road is a service road / public trail. Drat!!! Public vehicles
are banned and it's was a good long hike to Round Valley from the gate.
They suggested I contact the water district to see if I could obtain special
access. So I drove the 10 miles around the Reservoir only to be told that
wasn't possible. They suggested I hike in from the north access along
Marsh Creek Road. By this time the weather was shutting me down so I drove
back home somewhat disappointed at the wasted time but vowed to return
someday in the near future and see the park.
As it turned out, that day would be one and the same. At home I sat down
to review my Flickr account and manage the California Photographer group.
Sunlight burst through the window next to my desk and I took a look. It was
sunny with MASSIVE thunderhead clouds. I grabbed the wife and the dog and
threw them in to the car and drove up to the North entrance to Round Valley
Regional Park. We arrived and the skies looked AWESOME. I was feeling
up. Got to the end of the parking lot ready to start the trail and
DOH!!!! No dogs allowed!!!! GRRRRRRRR!!!!! My wife pushed me to go
it alone and she'd sit with the dog at the lot. I felt bad but the day was
looking too good to pass up. I took a radio walkie-talkie so we could at
least keep in touch. It looked on the map like a 3 mile hike in to the
hills. Now I love to hike but I have to admit that I cope with a condition
that causes my muscles to ALWAYS ache as if I have over exerted them so I
wasn't sure how far I'd get. The good news was that the hike is only a
moderate hike for most and the only difficult part is the first hill or so.
After that it's all pretty easy and flat...at least until you have to make
the return trip to the car. So as it turned out, I made my muscles really
earned their ache today.
Round Valley Regional Park turned out to be much more than I had hoped.
Everything was emerald green and the California Oak Trees were just starting
to leaf out. The clouds soared above the perfectly green meadows of lush
grass. That same grass was mowed up and down the hills by the many
cattle that roam freely alongside the trails. They keep the grass neatly
manicured like some wealthy kings personal back yard. A small clear
stream trickles though the meadows and out the entrance of the park
providing many water shots and reflections along the way (yet to be posted).
As I was starting my trek back, the clouds began to move in above me. I
had just read an article in Outdoor Photographer how Ansel Adams would shoot
the dramatic skies. So I pulled the camera off the tripod and carefully
shot several shots sweeping the camera vertically till it was pointed
straight up in the air. I didn't know until I got home that these images
would stitch perfectly together to make a 30 Megapixel image.
In short, it looked like my photographic day had fallen apart and I was
really bummed. But sticking to the plan eventually panned out and I have a
bunch of images to go through and post in the next few days. Checking
Flickr's map feature for local photo opportunities, reading up in Outdoor
Photographer and learning while in the field all came together to create
this shot. It will be painful tonight but I have this feeling of
satisfaction! I have posted a smaller size but the final image measures
4473 x 6648 and I am quite pleased with how it looks. More to come on this
set.
If you have read this far... thanks! I hope you enjoyed it.
Regards,
Darv
© Darvin Atkeson
Round Valley Sky Panorama - California Coastal Range (30 Megapixel Project)
Best when Viewed On Black or better yet, visit my photostream on Fluidr
I decided to do something different today and stay close to home and check
out a small and well hidden regional park known simply as Round Valley.
It's just over the hill from my house and I had yet to explore it even
after 12 years living in the area. As often is the case a few contacts
here on Flickr had some awesome shots that inspired me to go so I have to
thank them. (Marc Crumpler & Mani Sheriar)
I woke at about 4 AM and hoping to get sunrise shots I got underway by 5 AM.
I did some quick research on Google Maps looking for the easiest way in to
the Valley. Driving over the Morgan Territory Road I made my way to Los
Vaqueros Reservoir hoping to access Round Valley from the southern end based
on a road that shows up on Google Maps and would enter Round Valley right on
the southern edge. It would be just an easy walk in to the valley. I
arrived at the Reservoir just in time for a somewhat interesting sunrise
only to be thwarted by a closed road. I enquired within only to find out
that the road is a service road / public trail. Drat!!! Public vehicles
are banned and it's was a good long hike to Round Valley from the gate.
They suggested I contact the water district to see if I could obtain special
access. So I drove the 10 miles around the Reservoir only to be told that
wasn't possible. They suggested I hike in from the north access along
Marsh Creek Road. By this time the weather was shutting me down so I drove
back home somewhat disappointed at the wasted time but vowed to return
someday in the near future and see the park.
As it turned out, that day would be one and the same. At home I sat down
to review my Flickr account and manage the California Photographer group.
Sunlight burst through the window next to my desk and I took a look. It was
sunny with MASSIVE thunderhead clouds. I grabbed the wife and the dog and
threw them in to the car and drove up to the North entrance to Round Valley
Regional Park. We arrived and the skies looked AWESOME. I was feeling
up. Got to the end of the parking lot ready to start the trail and
DOH!!!! No dogs allowed!!!! GRRRRRRRR!!!!! My wife pushed me to go
it alone and she'd sit with the dog at the lot. I felt bad but the day was
looking too good to pass up. I took a radio walkie-talkie so we could at
least keep in touch. It looked on the map like a 3 mile hike in to the
hills. Now I love to hike but I have to admit that I cope with a condition
that causes my muscles to ALWAYS ache as if I have over exerted them so I
wasn't sure how far I'd get. The good news was that the hike is only a
moderate hike for most and the only difficult part is the first hill or so.
After that it's all pretty easy and flat...at least until you have to make
the return trip to the car. So as it turned out, I made my muscles really
earned their ache today.
Round Valley Regional Park turned out to be much more than I had hoped.
Everything was emerald green and the California Oak Trees were just starting
to leaf out. The clouds soared above the perfectly green meadows of lush
grass. That same grass was mowed up and down the hills by the many
cattle that roam freely alongside the trails. They keep the grass neatly
manicured like some wealthy kings personal back yard. A small clear
stream trickles though the meadows and out the entrance of the park
providing many water shots and reflections along the way (yet to be posted).
As I was starting my trek back, the clouds began to move in above me. I
had just read an article in Outdoor Photographer how Ansel Adams would shoot
the dramatic skies. So I pulled the camera off the tripod and carefully
shot several shots sweeping the camera vertically till it was pointed
straight up in the air. I didn't know until I got home that these images
would stitch perfectly together to make a 30 Megapixel image.
In short, it looked like my photographic day had fallen apart and I was
really bummed. But sticking to the plan eventually panned out and I have a
bunch of images to go through and post in the next few days. Checking
Flickr's map feature for local photo opportunities, reading up in Outdoor
Photographer and learning while in the field all came together to create
this shot. It will be painful tonight but I have this feeling of
satisfaction! I have posted a smaller size but the final image measures
4473 x 6648 and I am quite pleased with how it looks. More to come on this
set.
If you have read this far... thanks! I hope you enjoyed it.
Regards,
Darv
© Darvin Atkeson