Tag Archives: redwood

Redwood Amphiteater

wpid11641-AU0E2602-Edit.jpgAn enclave away from the main botanic garden is the Redwood Amphitheater. When we arrived, a wedding was underway in this area but, by the time we had finished walking around the main garden, it was open again so we checked it out. While the redwoods in there are still young by sequoia standards, they are certainly not small. The amphitheater itself is rather nice and it does look like a good spot for a wedding. While we were there, a couple was checking it out. Our assumption was that one person was from the botanic garden explaining to them what could be done, one was their wedding planner and the couple was taking all of this in. At least she seemed to be taking it all in. I got the feeling he was along for the ride on this one but probably wasn’t quite as “in” to it as she was. Good luck fella!

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Muir Woods

wpid8615-C59F4580-Edit.jpgHaving visitors is always a good excuse to go to places that you haven’ been to for a while.  Muir Woods National Monument was one such destination.  If only we had known just how many other people had the same idea, we might have aimed to get there a lot earlier in the day.  As it was, we got there a bit alter in the afternoon.  A short while later and it might have been a lot easier to park.  Of course, late in the day in winter means fading light and being in a heavily wooded area means even less light!

wpid8621-C59F4617.jpgMuir Woods is a great place to wander.  Having a lot of other visitors means it is a little less tranquil.  My previous visits have obviously been off peak and usually involved colder and damper weather.  This time it was dry and warm(ish).  The trees are majestic and often interestingly shaped.  However, being so close to such large trees as coastal redwoods does make it hard to get the images that you have in your mind.

wpid8611-C59F4570.jpgThe light is tricky and the angles wide.  Some playing with HDR and panoramas certainly helped out.  Sometimes it was just fun to look straight up.  The shapes there are exactly as you imagine them.  The dynamic range is so large that even HDR doesn’t always cover it (at least the way I was bracketing the shots) but it still worked out okay.