CALIFORNIA
The state of California is located in the Pacific region of the United States. It is surrounded by Oregon to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the west, the states of Arizona and Nevada to the east, and Mexico’s state of Baja California to the south.
Sacramento is the state capital of California, but the largest city is Los Angeles, with a population of approximately 4 million. The total population of California is 39.5 million people. California is made up of a vast diverse array of picturesque landscapes contained in a large area of 423,970 square kilometers.
Western California is known for its vast sandy beaches and extensive redwood and douglas fir forests. The Sierra Nevada mountain range is found in the east, the Mojave Desert is in the southeast, and a vast agricultural area, the Central Valley is found in the center of California.
Due to the vast and varied geography of California, the climate can vary a great deal throughout this state. Northern California has a temperate rainforest climate, the interior has an arid desert climate and an alpine climate is found in the mountainous regions. Southern California experiences a Mediterranean climate.
FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY OF CALIFORNIA
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
Most of Death Valley National Park is located in southwestern California. Established as a National park in 1994, it is 13,650 square kilometers in size. The National Park Foundation describes this park as the hottest, driest and lowest of all the national parks in the United States. Death Valley National Park is known for its landscape of mountains, valleys, canyons, badlands, salt flats and sand dunes.
According to the National Park Service website, some of the “must see” natural wonders to experience are:
1. Badwater Basin, located at the lowest elevation in North America. This salt flat has been described as surreal and unworldly.
2. Artists Drive and Artists Palette Viewpoint is an extremely photogenic area with its multicoloured mountains and canyons of pink, yellow, green and purple.
3. Devils Golf Course provides a visual and auditory experience for visitors. If you travel to this area you will see the rough jagged spires on the floor of this salt flat and hear the quiet pop and ping noises made by billions of salt crystals expanding and contracting.
4. Zabriskie Point is considered to be the most popular area in Death Valley National Park. It provides a stunning view of the badlands of the Furnace Creek formation and leads to many of the more popular hiking trails.
LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK
Lassen Volcanic National Park is located in northeastern California and it was established as a national park in 1916. This park is 430 square kilometers in size and it is known for its surreal landscape of volcanos, fumaroles, mud pots, and hot springs. Its landscape also includes wildflower meadows, canyons and crystal clear mountain lakes. Lassen Volcanic National Park is home to a plug dome volcano named Lassen Peak – the largest volcano of its type in the world. The climate for this area is humid continental.
The Visit California website recommends the following areas to visit at this national park:
1. Lassen Peak Trail leads to the top of Lassen Peak to an elevation of 3,187 meters. The view from the peak is highly photogenic and displays the spectacular park and the devastation that occurred 100 years ago when the volcano erupted.
2. Bumpass Hell is an area with the sights, sounds and smells of fumaroles, mud pots, hot springs, steam vents and the remains of Mount Tehama.
3. Manzanita Lake is described as one of the most photographed lakes in Lassen Volcanic National Park.
PINNACLES NATIONAL PARK
Pinnacles National Park is located in central California and it received its national park designation in 2013. This park is 107.7 square kilometers in size and is known for its majestic rock formations of enormous monoliths, spires, sheer-walled canyons and talus caves. The climate for this area is hot summer Mediterranean. Pinnacles is perhaps the closest National Park to San Francisco.
If you find yourself in Pinnacles National Park you might want to check out:
1. Bear Gulch Reservoir. It is possible to hike up to this photogenic site by way of the Bear Gulch Cave Trail or Moses Spring Trail. Both scenic routes ascend along a boulder filled gorge edged with magnificent trees.
2. Talus Caves. Pinnacles National Park has two of these unique caves to discover. Bear Gulch and Balconies Caves are open to explore at specific times, based on the health and safety of the bats that inhabit them.
3. The Condor Gulch Overlook can be reached by the Condor Gulch trail. The overlook provides spectacular views of condors as they fly and circle above the surrounding monumental rock formations.
KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARK
Kings Canyon National Park is located in the southern Sierra Nevada area of California. It was established as a national park in 1940 and is known for its breathtaking landscape that includes Kings Canyon (the deepest canyon in the United States), majestic mountains, caverns, rugged foothills and mixed forests that include a variety of trees like giant sequoias, ponderosa pines and red fir trees.
Kings Canyon National Park is 1,870 square kilometers in size and it has a warm summer Mediterranean climate.
Two photogenic ‘must see’ areas at Kings Canyon National Park include:
1. Grant Grove: contains 154 acres of giant sequoia trees and is home to the ‘Nation’s Christmas Tree” (also known as the General Grant tree), an 82 meter high tree that is thought to be over 1,500 years old.
2. Redwood Mountain Grove: is the largest grove of sequoia trees in the world. It contains some of the world’s largest sequoia trees.
JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK
Joshua National Park is located in southeastern California and was established as a National park in 1994. It is 3,196 square kilometers in size and was named after the Joshua trees (a type of Yucca plant) that are prevalent in this area. The Mojave and Colorado Deserts are found in Joshua Tree National Park. All areas of this park are known for a variety of desert vegetation and have a hot desert climate.
There are many photogenic sites at Joshua National Park. Some of the more popular sites include:
1. Skull Rock, a large rock carved into the shape of a skull by wind and rain.
2. Black Rock Canyon,where you can find the surreal Joshua Tree forest
3. Keys View lookout point. This site offers magnificent views of surrounding areas that include the Coachella Valley, Salton Sea, San Andreas Fault, Santa osa Mountains, and Palm Springs.
JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK
Joshua National Park is located in southeastern California and was established as a National park in 1994. It is 3,196 square kilometers in size and was named after the Joshua trees (a type of Yucca plant) that are prevalent in this area. The Mojave and Colorado Deserts are found in Joshua Tree National Park. All areas of this park are known for a variety of desert vegetation and have a hot desert climate.
There are many photogenic sites at Joshua National Park. Some of the more popular sites include:
1. Skull Rock, a large rock carved into the shape of a skull by wind and rain.
2. Black Rock Canyon,where you can find the surreal Joshua Tree forest
3. Keys View lookout point. This site offers magnificent views of surrounding areas that include the Coachella Valley, Salton Sea, San Andreas Fault, Santa osa Mountains, and Palm Springs.
REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK
Redwood National Park was established in 1968 along the coast of northern California. It was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1980. This National Park also includes the three state parks of Del Norte Coast Redwoods, Prairie Creek Redwoods and Jedediah Smith Redwoods. All together, this combination covers an area of 445 square kilometers.
Redwood National Park contains very diverse landscapes that include prairies, woodlands, rivers, rugged coastlines and some of the world’s tallest trees. Its climate is classified as an oceanic temperate rainforest with cool summer Mediterranean characteristics.
If you are able to visit this very photogenic national park consider visiting:
1. Klamath River Overlook since it provides an excellent birds eye view of the Pacific Ocean, migrating whales and crashing surf.
2. High Bluff Overlook also provides another view of the ocean along with whales. seabirds, pelicans and sea lions.
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
Yosemite National Park is located in central California and is 3,029 square kilometers in size. This park was designated as a national park in 1890 and a World Heritage site in 1984. This amazingly picturesque area is known for its gigantic sequoia trees, waterfalls, deep valleys, granite cliffs, lakes and streams, glaciers, mountains, and meadows. The climate for Yosemite National Park is Mediterranean and perfect for nature photography.
Yosemite is one of the most popular National Parks in the United States, with over 4 million visitors annually. There are a multitude of photogenic attractions available. Here are some for you to consider visiting:
1. Yosemite Valley Waterfalls. There are a multitude of majestic waterfalls that you can experience at Yosemite. They include the LeConte Falls, Bridalveil Fall, Vernal Fall, Yosemite Falls, White Cascade, and Nevada Falls.
2. Famous Viewpoints. Yosemite National Park recommends the following ‘must see’ views for visitors: Tunnel View, Valley View, Glacier Point, Olmsted Point and Tenaya Lake.
3. Giant Sequoias. No trip to this park would be complete without a visit to at least one of the three Sequoia groves found here. It is highly recommended to visit Mariposa, the largest of these groves.
Below, you can buy landscape photography for all over California. These fine art prints will ship directly to your home or office.
