2009 California Spring Wildflower Photography

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April 4 2009

Countless times, I've driven to the Eastern Sierra to enjoy a little fly fishing, and often noticed spring wildflowers blooming in the desert, out of the corner of my eye, while doing 80, on my way to Bridgeport. Fly fishing season is still a few weeks away, and I decided to spend a day beneath the mountains, enjoying majestic panoramas, fresh air, and to see if any color was blooming. Harsh cloudless light didn't work in my favor with respect to photography, but I think I may have solved one goal, to locate a nice position to photograph sunrise lighting up the mountains with alpen glow, and flowers lit up in the foreground. Surprising, an abundant variety of wildflowers were blooming, and I spent hours hiking around, at times on my belly taking pictures, having a great time. I look forward to returning, and if I don't get the sunrise shot envisioned, it certainly will be a fond memory.

magnificent Eastern Sierra mountains

Looks like a good place to start exploring

 

Tansy Mustard flowers blooming at ground level

Tansy Mustard seasons the ground

 

small jawbone and Desert Dandelion flower

Tiny jawbone decays into fertilizer

 

cactus needles

Harsh environment

 

A pretty pair of Desert Stars growing between the rocks

Desert Stars shining brightly

 

Desert Dandelion

Desert Dandelion, basically a pretty sun sponge

 

desert dandelion soaking up sunshine

Soaking up life

 

A beautiful Mojave Aster in bloom. Thank you Kahlee for helping me to identify a number of flowers on the trip!!!

Mojave Aster, as gorgeous as it is common

 

purple and yellow Mojave Aster photographed with the lens opened up, to selectively reduce focus

Looks hot with the camera lens opened up, to selectively reduce focus

 

Purple Milk Vetch, similar to Lupine, and thanks again to Kahlee for teaching me the correct name of this beautiful flower!

Purple Milk Vetch grace the ground

 

small desert lupine

Miniature Lupine are amazingly vibrant

 

Flock of White Pelicans circled overhead

Migrating White Pelicans briefly circled overhead

 

Desert Chicory

Desert Chicory remain delicate, supple and elegant, despite the sun and dry winds

 

bright yellow blazing star wildflowers lit up the scene

Blazing Stars as brilliant as little suns

 

Desert Mallow wildflower

Desert Mallow glow and flicker in the wind like fire

 

Indian Painbrush wildflowers with Eastern Sierra mountains in the distance

Ravine painted with red accents

 

Indian Paintbrush

Indian Paintbrush's vibrantly blushing

 

close up view of bright red Indian Paintbrush wildflowers

Intense sunlight

 

Indian Painbrush tips

Full paintbrush

 

Goldfields starting to bloom

Goldfields just starting to bloom

 

California Desert Wildflowers, purple milk vetch, goldfields, fiddleneck, and a ladybug

Assorted flowers, and a ladybug

Desert wildflowers make up for a lack of density with an amazingly large variety

I have quite few more photos of flowers that I haven't found names of, yet.

 

California high desert wildflower photography

The scenery was harsh and grand

 

cool texture and colors on the Joshua trees

Joshua tree close up

 

Joshue Trees in the high desert, at sunset

Joshua Trees waving goodbye

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