My July 2021 Photo of the Month is SDRP26, taken from the Highland Valley Trail in San Dieguito River Park.
SDRP26 Background
Somehow, we have reached the final third of 2021, and I do not know where the time went. Getting out is still a challenge, for reasons every reader is aware of. One positive has been that we have started receiving some of the monsoonal moisture we missed in the last couple years. Many were referring to a “nonsoon” season, which was contributing to the current incredible drought in the Southwest.
The skies finally began to open up. Southern California primarily gets its monsoonal moisture from the Gulf of California, but when conditions are right, they can reach all the way to San Diego.
SDRP26 was photographed along one of my friend Alex’s favored trails, Highland Valley Trail in San Dieguito River Park. Just beyond a bend along one of the creeks, you come to this beautiful view of oaks just South of Lake Hodges and Escondido.
The view can be a little tricky. You do need to get lower than eye-level. Too high and you get too much of the community in the image. While I am a little more tolerant of “human things” in my photos than many nature photographers, I do like to frame it as well as I can.
Many of my friends would say this is my kind of image. My sense of composition does often lead me to create these verticals that emphasize clouds above the foreground. I do this all the time. But I find the result pleasing, and after a couple years of longing for a good monsoon season, we are off to a great start.
As always, thank you for viewing, and I hope you enjoy the image.
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T.M. Schultze is a San Diego-based photographer, traveller, and writer. He writes, photographs, and draws things of the outdoors that have inspired humans for thousands of years. He co-authored the Photographer’s Guide to Joshua Tree Park which can be purchased here.
I’ve gone bicycling along that trail before. I used it as a section of what I called the “Rabbit Ride”, which was a rabbit shaped bicycle ride around San Diego County. A bit tough in places along that trail but great views.