Snow in Apple Valley

BimmerBob · December 22, 2008

Hi Everyone,

I took a few pics while visiting family in Apple Valley, CA. They just had 8" of snow, so this was an unusual photo opportunity for those of us in Southern California. I was taking some pics of my boys playing in the snow and I looked over to the left and saw this one l,one bare tree surrounded by a few bushes. I kind of wish I had thought to walk over to gets some pics of just the mountain, without the ugly chain link fence, but I didn't want to get my feet wet and cold. LOL

Bob

Sony A700, Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 lens with a UV filter. Photo was shot at f/11, 1/400, ISO 200, focal length 70mm.

and here is why little brothers can really come in handy

INCOMING!!!

Sony A700, Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 lens with a UV filter. Photo was shot at f/5, 1/1,000, ISO 200, focal length 160mm.

jeffmeyers · December 22, 2008

Is there a blue cast to these? Or is it just me. I know snow is hard to capture. WB is tricky. But I think #1 could be improved with a bit less blue. Maybe?

BimmerBob · December 23, 2008

Thanks for the input

jeffmeyers wrote:

Is there a blue cast to these? Or is it just me. I know snow is hard to capture. WB is tricky. But I think #1 could be improved with a bit less blue. Maybe?

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the input. I shot in RAW and Aperture came up with a color temperature of about 4800° to 4900°. I just bumped them to 5500° and that seemed to remove come of the blue cast. I honestly assumed that the blue hue was the reflection of the sky off the snow. Refresh and see if they look any better.

Bob

Edit: I just bumped it to 6000° and then increase the blue saturation just bit, to keep the sky looking the same and that seemed to help. Trial and error from a newbie. :-)

wfeller · December 23, 2008

I like the first shot. Looks like you're north of Rock Springs and south of BVR? Actually looks like you're west of the river in Hesperia for shooting these.

BimmerBob · December 23, 2008

Good Eye

wfeller wrote:

I like the first shot. Looks like you're north of Rock Springs and south of BVR? Actually looks like you're west of the river in Hesperia for shooting these.

I think you're right, but I'm not that familiar with the area. My in-laws live in a 55+ community called Jess Ranch. It's on Jess Ranch Parkway, off Bear Valley Road in Apple Valley. There is a dry (most of the time) lake bed a couple hundred yards just beyond the tree in the picture. It's not nearly as scenic in the summer. :-(

Bob

wfeller · December 23, 2008

BimmerBob wrote:

I think you're right, but I'm not that familiar with the area. My in-laws live in a 55+ community called Jess Ranch. It's on Jess Ranch Parkway, off Bear Valley Road in Apple Valley. There is a dry (most of the time) lake bed a couple hundred yards just beyond the tree in the picture. It's not nearly as scenic in the summer. :-(

Bob

Hi Bob,

I live in Hesperia, but I've tried to get familiar with the entire Mojave Desert. The mountains in the first photo are called the Mariannas. They turn bright orange during sunset in the summer. Looks totally Martian. The canyon between those and mountains a little further to the right is Deep Creek Canyon. There's a hot springs up there. Also there's a road, Hwy 173 which is the only remaining unpaved highway in California. The highway don't go near the hot springs though. It's sort of a back way into Lake Arrowhead. Up by the Pinnacles there's some nice Coulter pine in the meadows next to some plutonic rock formations/monoliths. ... The Pacific Crest Trail also goes up the canyon. That leads back to the hot springs. Lots of naked folk up there. Can get awkward with a camera. Best way in is Bowen Ranch. Not sure if the forestry service has closed that up yet though. The area keeps burning down. Anyway, the Jess Ranch is the remnants of the Stoddard-Jess dynasty. Stoddard, and I think Jess too, were Mormon pioneers that first moved into the area in either 1849 or early 50s. The trout ponds are pretty cool places to take kids to fish (you can rent tackle) for a sure catch. The little lakes are pretty nice too if you have your own tackle, but bigger trout and catfish are over at Hesperia Lake.

Sorry to ramble. I've lived here since 85 and still love it- sort of. It takes longer to get out to the good stuff. At least it's still there though.

We got a little more than a foot of snow on our side of the river. Happens every few years or so. Once the snow melts, this spring ought to be real nice, if you come up get off the freeway at the Silverwood off ramp and take 138 to Lake Arrowhead road and go left into Hesperia (see a map for sure) and come around through Summit Valley. Wildflowers should be incredible this spring. Longer drive, but low stress once you get into Summit Valley and beyond.

Nice seeing what it looks like out there. I've stayed pretty much inside the last week

Snow in Apple Valley

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