Blossoming Sakura and Snowy Mountains

Nikolai

We're getting another unusually cold winter here in SoCal. Yet some of the locals cannot accustom to the changes so quickly and persist in their routines. Men wear shorts and T-shirts and some cherry bushes are blossoming.

I saw this picture in my rear view mirror and I was so attracted to it that I simply had to get my gear and come back for a few shots...

1: IMG_6177:



2: IMG_6181:



3: IMG_6182:



More here: http://nik.smugmug.com/gallery/4270945

Technicalities:
Canon 40D, EF 100-400 IS USM, EF 70-200/2.8 IS USM.
The mountains are Upper Ojaj area.

Enjoy!

Dogdots

I like #1 the best...although they are all good.

I look in my rear mirror too and side mirrors also as I'm driving along the gravel roads. I find that I find some of my best shots not looking straight ahead of me.

Nikolai

Dogdots wrote:

I like #1 the best...although they are all good.

I look in my rear mirror too and side mirrors also as I'm driving along the gravel roads. I find that I find some of my best shots not looking straight ahead of me.

Thank you!

schmoo

Hey Nik! So when it gets too cold in the winter your flowers blossom?

To me it looks like nature's looking ahead. The sight of cherry blossoms always make me think of frantic crowds and muggy April weather. (DC festival)

Is that mountain in the bg snow-covered? Or is that just the bokeh?

Nikolai

schmoo wrote:

Hey Nik! So when it gets too cold in the winter your flowers blossom?

To me it looks like nature's looking ahead. The sight of cherry blossoms always make me think of frantic crowds and muggy April weather. (DC festival)

Is that mountain in the bg snow-covered? Or is that just the bokeh?

Normally winter here is the rain season, so the grass gets green. Last two years winter was also rather chilling - not the Montana-chill, but colder than usual. There were winters here not so long ago that I could wear short-sleeve shirts all year round, this year I had to wear coats and thick jackets.

As to the mountains - yes, it is snow, which, again, until recently was an unknown pehnomenon in these parts (these mountains are fairly low).

Tango

#1 ! i like quite a bit...

Marc Muench

AaronNelson wrote:

#1 ! i like quite a bit...

Nik

I like the first one as well. We have two of these same trees in the front of our office, what are they?

Nikolai

AaronNelson wrote:

#1 ! i like quite a bit...

Thank you, Aaron, appreciate it!

Nikolai

Marc Muench wrote:

Nik

I like the first one as well. We have two of these same trees in the front of our office, what are they?

Hi Marc!
I'm no botanist, but I *think* this is a cherry tree of some sort.
Are yours blossoming, too? I must admit, most of these trees usually blossom much later (late March - early April), but this one is getting a lot of non-stop sunlight from dawn till dusk and, sitting next to a popular ramp, lots of a heat from the exhaust pipes, so it looks like there is a little spring patch in the middle of the winter.

Nikolai

Update: greater DOF
Few people asked about a version with a greater DOF... I didn't have one at the time, but this morning I got a few extra minutes and decided to take another shot from the same point. Sun was still fairly low and right behind my back, which created a different mood.

Here's a few shots with a greater DOF.

1: IMG_6198:




2: IMG_6199:



The rest is still here: http://nik.smugmug.com/gallery/4270945

Enjoy!

anwmn1

I prefer the colors in the very first one and the DOF of the second of the second post.

All are nice but if you could combine the two it would be perfect!
Any chance to get a third shoot in?

Nikolai

anwmn1 wrote:

I prefer the colors in the very first one and the DOF of the second of the second post.

All are nice but if you could combine the two it would be perfect!
Any chance to get a third shoot in?

Thanks, Aaron!
To reshoot I need the following things to happen:

• the snow in the mountains should stay until the weekend (I cannot get off work during the day)
• that tree should stay blossoming till weekend
• it should be a clear day (which is most likely:-)

I guess we'll see!

300m

Nice job. I still like #1 the best. Nice to see flowers right now.

Nikolai

300m wrote:

Nice job. I still like #1 the best. Nice to see flowers right now.

Thanks, John!
I simply felt that I didn't explore all the options, hence the reshoot.

Marc Muench

Ya Nick, ours are in full bloom, must be global warming I like the first one better too.

Nikolai

Marc Muench wrote:

Ya Nick, ours are in full bloom, must be global warming I like the first one better too.

I do believe "global warming" is a huge misnomer. "Climate change" is more appropriate methink - last couple of week were the coldest ones in 6 years I live here in SoCal.

ohsogorgeous1

Great pics
I think all of them are very beautiful. The first is the best. But all very good.

Nikolai

ohsogorgeous1 wrote:

I think all of them are very beautiful. The first is the best. But all very good.

Thank you, appreciate it!