"Brown's Ranch Desert View" BW 1x1
Finding and planning photographic locations takes time and physical effort but the rewards often yield the best photographs. It never does however seem like a chore when I’m engulfed in my passions (early morning starts, cycling, hiking and photography), it’s then that I’m in my “happy place”! What could possibly be more fun than searching for spectacular locations and then later have a prize photograph. That said however, weather does play a big roll, and even with all the efforts I’ve made, sometimes sudden weather changes have worked against my plans or rewarded me well. This photograph has such a story.
I found this location on a previous morning bike ride, and I made a mental note to return. What I loved about this particular location was the combination of darks and lights (the shadows and highlights), often referred to as the darkest darks and the brightest whites, which are complimentary in any photograph or painting.
We planned the night before to be on the bike path before sunrise and then cycle out to this location. Our goal was to be there for golden hour, when the early morning rays of sun make the desert cacti come alive. That said however, the weather didn’t cooperate and even though it was an overcast day the sun did poke through occasionally; just enough to get this shot.
