Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, originally uploaded by Jim Arnold (jga154).

Indian Rubarb

Another morning spent on Brandy Creek. I never get tired of being in the creek or right along side photographing it. Mary was in bed, I decided we should go, within a half hour we were on our way. Of course Mary couldn't go in anyplace public (she didn't get to do her hair),

The light was pretty much perfect with high bright clouds, no shadows, and plenty of saturation.

Rock Spillway

Rock Spillway, originally uploaded by Jim Arnold (jga154).

Mary and I spent the morning photographing Brandy Creek. It was just the two of us and the beautiful creek. I think I could spend the rest of my days just taking pictures of small stream scenery.

One of the best methods is to get out in the creek and shoot upstream. This time of the year that requires waders or just the right size rocks spaced perfectly. The most important part is not having your tripod and camera go over in the current or get dropped because of slippage.

Ladies in an Acorn Cap

It seems everywhere you go in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area you find ladybug swarms. At least in the winter. they were a little warm and moving around when I shot this so a slow shutter didn't work and an open aperture made the depth of field too shallow.


Click on the photo to visit my Flickr stream.

Beautiful Brandy Creek

I met Frank and Garry at Brandy Creek last weekend for a needed day of nature photography. We spent a couple of hours in, on, and around the creek (OK, maybe not on it). The moss was perfect and the water was at the right flow.

I took my newly lifted Samurai out for a maiden run. A 3" lift, 30" tires, new bumper and roof rack. Although it is not tough at all I had fun coming home via Mule Town road. Needed Mary with me to make it more fun. She loves bumpy roads.

Brandy Creek

Brandy Creek
Originally uploaded by jga154

Last Saturday Frank Kratofil and I went to Brandy Creek in the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area to photograph small things and the stream. The area where we park was not closed but there is a sign at the south end of the parking area at the entrance to the trail that say's it's closed. We decided to go in on the west side so as not to violate the sign too obviously. We did return on the trail where the sign was posted but there was no writing on the back of the sign. We took many pictures and got a few really nice ones too.

You can visit the photos at my Flickr site: http://flickr.com/photos/jarnold154/
Or my website: http://www.jimarnoldphoto.com/

After hearing about how beautiful it is there just after the rains Mary decided she would like to see it on Sunday. We arrived a little after sunrise which is ok as there is not much light in the creek area before sunrise. We parked in the same spot, took the same route (so's not to violate the sign). I got a bunch more pictures including water blur stream shots, mushrooms, and other little scenes. We spent about three hours there and were not washed away by the big avalanche upstream (because it didn't happen).

As we got back to the car, Mary discovered something on the windshield under the the wiper blade. Yep, it was a ticket. A $75 ticket at that. Not for kind of disregarding the sign but for not having a pass posted on the dashboard or anywhere else for that matter. In our big hurry to get past the sign violation glaring at us I forgot to put my $85 annual pass in the window. I told her I would fight it and at least get part of the fine dismissed, maybe.

As I was leaving I watched for a Ranger in case he/she could be talked into dismissing the whole ticket right then. I found one at the headquarters which was closed on Sunday but she was just leaving. I asked, she radioed the other Ranger who wrote the ticket, he agreed and the ticked was gone. Thank you. He also told her to admonish me for going in the closed off area. She did but it didn't seem to enthusiastic. Maybe they really don't care about that?