Wildflowers in the City
The Los Angeles basin has a reputation for being a concrete sprawl - for miles and miles and miles. While this is undeniable, there is also some nature to be found if you know where to look. There are some hillsides famous for their wildflowers - even within the confines of the city of LA. Case in point, the Ernest E. Debs city park in the Highland Park area is literally overflowing with floral displays in the spring.
I arrived at the park in the morning while the light was still soft and oblique. While I was there, it was interesting to observe how the quality of the light became harsher and more overhead, with increasing contrast between light and shadow. The sky turned a darker blue, and the yellow flowers became brighter.
As the sea of flowers was filling the view, reaching to my shoulders, it was a challenge to find distinctive compositions. Early on while the light was soft and warm, I focused on backlit flowers and stems without including the sky, which created a dreamy atmosphere.
Mustard Flowers I - Los Angeles, California
The shallow depth of field that worked so well with the softer light to create interest, did less so as the light became harsher and the scene brighter. Now, this became more of a study in color contrasts between the sky and flowers.
Mustard Flowers II - Los Angeles, California
The final image was a study in several contrasts: between the dead tree and the newly sprung life in the wildflowers, between the rough brown texture of the bark and the gossamer of delicate stems and flowers. The bright overhead light added to the starkness of the tree branch.
Overall, this session was a good reminder of how important the quality of light is in determining the mood of an image, and how it might affect your image composition choices.
Mustard Flowers and Branch I - Los Angeles, California