Photographing California’s coastal redwood forests can be a (fun) challenge. There is often an overwhelming amount of “stuff” in the scene — trunks, branches, undergrowth, all growing densely. So part of the challenge is finding a workable composition among all of the details. Light can also be tricky. On sunny days light beams can fill the scene and pose nearly unsolvable dynamic range issues — shadows go completely black and highlights threaten to burn out. I made this photograph on a cloudy morning when the overcast was just starting to thin a bit, producing some very soft light.
The location is Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Oddly, as a lifelong Californian who has passed by here often, I have barely explore this park at all. In fact, I can recall only one previous brief visit. Perhaps this is because I’m typically in the area to photograph coastal subjects rather than forests, and perhaps also because there are other redwood parks closer to where I live. This scene is a little obscure one near the main campgrounds and a nature trail.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.
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