Silicon Valley Poppies

Posted by Don Smith (California, United States) on 16 April 2008 in Landscape & Rural.

Beauty is where one can find it. I spotted this hillside of poppies, of all places, along Highway 101 in Coyote Valley (southern Silicon Valley). After temperatures had climbed into the high 80's over the weekend, I decided to make the trek to this location before the hillside and poppies began to wither. Someone had trampled down a fence allowing for easy access to this site. I do respect "No Tresspassing" signs; however, none were in sight - at least that would have been my story had a sheriffs deputy spotted me. I have been seaching all spring for a blanketed hillside, and so far, this has been the best I've seen. The wind was gusting so I decided to go with a higher ISO (400) to get a bit faster shutter speed (1/250th). My goal was to have a foreground of sharp poppies and a have the remaining hillside gradually fade out-of-focus. I settled on f/10 to achieve this goal. I layed down to get this low perspective. Ironically, the 101 freeway is just outside the top of the frame! To see more of my landscape imagery, please visit my website at httP://www.donsmithphotography.com