Its spring once again in Southern California and with some good rain recently, I was hoping that the wild flowers out in the high desert would be in full bloom and decided to head out towards the California Poppy reserve, by Lancaster.
Carpets of Tansy Phacelia (Blue), Yellow Coreopis, Blazing Star (Orange) covered the south facing hills along Gorman Post Road off of Rte 138. The Poppies along the lower lying valleys began to close as the cool winds picked up, but still provided plenty of color to see.

I needed a day away from the grind and a little road under my wheels and a quick trip to recharge, and knew it was worth the gamble. The time alone and with nature not only did the trick but afforded me some incredible reason for pause and appreciation for ole Mother Nature once again.

A few years back I was running around the tundra by Sable Pass in Denali National Park in Alaska photographing a full rainbow which stretched from one end of the valley to the other. I remember wanting something even more than what I had to shoot and had the nerve to ask (anyone who would listen to me) to give me a Grizzly to add to all the magic I had been viewing unfold before me. When I got the bear, it prompted my blog “sometimes you have to ask for it.”

Once again, I found myself in a situation that maybe I could be revealing myself as a little ungrateful, but after shooting flowers all day, I began to look for something other to shoot. I found a hawk drifting over the red carpet of poppies and began to chase it as it drifted away from me. The shots just didn’t do it for me. So I “asked for it’ again.

Once again was rewarded or at the very least distracted. Now this particular wild flower was far away, in the direction the hawk took me, and the background, distance and even the model would not have been exactly what I would have ordered a la cart, but was a great chance to view the poppy field in a more dramatic landscape. I was in a public place so I snapped a few shots and thanked again the set of attentive ears that had listened to me once again.

Nike ad

I just saw the latest Nike ad with Tiger Woods deceased dad talking to him and asking him questions which refer to his decision making lately. Is it just me or have they explored a whole new level of “creepiness” in their marketing campaign to push their products?

I’ve played sports all my life and other than the “just do it” moniker they hit pay dirt on, I have never connected with many of their ads. This one, however seems to “just over do it” as far as I’m concerned. The ad continues to magnify Woods issues and stoke the fire as well as pull his dad into the mix who is very well knows for his philandering outside of his own marriage as well. It’s just creepy and wrong. What does Tigers mom think when she sees this ad, I wonder?

Great job Nike! You are doing your best to derail any class and legitimacy in branding your sponsors in place for your 5 minutes of TMZ fame. You would think a multi billion dollar company would “just get it.”