Its raining today, and I’ve got a 3-year-old in tow.  Definitely not a day that’s conducive to be outside for serious photography.  We’ve all been in this position before, when we’re dying to get out, but life just seems to get in the way.  What to do?  One thing I like to do is “dumpster dive”–go through my hard drive and revisit images that did not quite seem to make the cut before.

There are multiple reasons to dig through the rubbish of past shoots.  Perhaps your post-processing skills have improved since you captured the RAW file, or you have new inspiration of how to process the image.  Or simply, your tastes have changed, and something that didn’t appeal before is suddenly more attractive.

I processed this image a while ago, from a visit to the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve in December.  I loved the scene of sun peeking out from behind this oak tree, but never could quite get the processing right.  After coming back to the image a couple of months later, I was able to shed some new light on the processing problem.  Now, its one of my favorites from this lovely wilderness area.

Do you have images that benefitted from an initial cast-off and subsequent revisiting?  Please share links in the comments section!

Sunburst, December 2010

One of the most popular gifts on Valentine’s Day is chocolate and flowers.  These are both a tried and true tradition on February 14, however, despite the giver’s best intentions, neither gift will last for very long.  This year, I suggest you put a new twist on the traditional chocolate and flowers, and give my Chocolate Lily print to your loved one.

Chocolate Lilies, April 2009

Chocolate lilies are a widespread but relatively uncommon plant in several places along the Pacific coast.  I photographed these flowers last spring at one of their strongholds, the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, in the southern Santa Ana Mountains, near Murrieta California.

From now through February 14, I’m offering this print at a 30% discount.  All other floral photography is 20% off.

And, if you’re wondering, my wife already has this print hanging in our house.

Moonrise over the oaks, Temecula, CA, November 2009

The third, and final, image I have in the Plateau’s annual art show this year is of the vernal pools:

Vernal Pools, Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, 2009

Fairy shrimp, frogs, toads, snakes, and migrating waterfowl are just a small group of animals that call the pools home, but also rely on them to breed.

The show begins tonight, and runs through September 20.

Chocolate lilies, Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, 2009

This is an uncommon lily, and the Santa Rosa Plateau is just about the southern tip of its range.  Each spring, people start hiking the plateau in hopes of finding blooming lilies.  Because of its dark appearance, it has earned the nickname “Cleopatra of the Fritillaries”.

I really like this shot, not only because of the composition and lighting (I love the soft backlighting and highlighting on the edges of the blooms), but also because we found these lilies after a hot day of hiking, and it felt good to sit in the shade of an oak tree, enjoying the day. 

Tonight, I’m participating in my first Riverside Arts Walk in downtown Riverside, and will be showing 13 photos.  Tomorrow, I’ll try to post an update with photos.  If you’re in Riverside tonight, I’d love to have you come by; my photos will be in the Life Arts Center, studio 39 (map).

The other show I’m participating in is at the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, near Temecula, California.  The show is one of their annual fundraisers, and this year’s theme is “A Quarter Century of Conservation and Inspiration,” to celebrate their 25th anniversary.  The Plateau is one of our favorite places to hike, because it provides a quick escape on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, and it is very unique ecologically.  Fifty-nine “sensitive” species call the Plateau home, and it house one of the best preserved bunchgrass prairie ecosystems in California.  

I have three photos in this year’s show.  The first one I want to share with you are California’s state flower: the California poppy.

California poppies, Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, 2009

The show runs from this Saturday, August 8 through September 20.