Anything Good in Southern California?

[jsphotog]

I'm from Orange county. 2 hours from Joshua Tree, 2 hours from Big Bear Lake, 3-4 hours from Kings Canyon and nothing good to shoot other than that. I tend to not like people. I dont like taking pictures of them that is, so I tend to shoot landscape photography, but really want to do more wildlife. Does anyone know any "specific" locations where i can get away from crowds and get some nice shots of some animals? The problem is that even though I have all these great shooting locations, I dont know where to go once I get there. I make a yearly trip to Rhode Island and It seems obvious what to do, but in So. Cal. things are a little more difficult.

Anybody got any tips?

[deletedpenguin]

The Zoo? Honestly, there's not much that I can think of. (I grew up in San Diego and spent a good amount of time in Orange County). I'd suggest even going to the Wild Animal Park in North County of San Diego and taking a Photo Safari. I know it's probably just as far as Big Bear or Joshua Tree, but you can get some great shots from the trucks that don't look like your typical zoo shots.

Here's a few I took on the safari.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2246/1862774644_a8b913512c.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2053/1862770008_fc35506cdd.jpg

[JWright]

I'm from Orange county. 2 hours from Joshua Tree, 2 hours from Big Bear Lake, 3-4 hours from Kings Canyon and nothing good to shoot other than that. I tend to not like people. I dont like taking pictures of them that is, so I tend to shoot landscape photography, but really want to do more wildlife. Does anyone know any "specific" locations where i can get away from crowds and get some nice shots of some animals? The problem is that even though I have all these great shooting locations, I dont know where to go once I get there. I make a yearly trip to Rhode Island and It seems obvious what to do, but in So. Cal. things are a little more difficult.

Anybody got any tips?

You can get lucky at Joshua Tree...

http://johnwright.smugmug.com/National-Parks/John/Group-Shoot-at-Joshua-Tree/IMG9768/111969665_Y8ajp-XL.jpg

Actually, one of the rangers told us this was a very rare occurrence...

[Tom Reichner]

You can get lucky at Joshua Tree...

Actually, one of the rangers told us this was a very rare occurrence...

What a great opportunity you had, John! And that's a Desert Bighorn, to boot!

I hiked Joshua Tree for 4 days, and never saw a sheep. I did find some fairly fresh tracks at Lost Palm Oasis, but that was it.

The ram you found is a phenomenal specimen. Full curl, and he carries his mass way out toward the end of the horns. This is quite rare for the Desert variety of Bighorns. What a brute!

I have to ask . . . was he near the road, or did you find him while hiking in the backcountry?

[JWright]

What a great opportunity you had, John! And that's a Desert Bighorn, to boot!

I hiked Joshua Tree for 4 days, and never saw a sheep. I did find some fairly fresh tracks at Lost Palm Oasis, but that was it.

The ram you found is a phenomenal specimen. Full curl, and he carries his mass way out toward the end of the horns. This is quite rare for the Desert variety of Bighorns. What a brute!

I have to ask . . . was he near the road, or did you find him while hiking in the backcountry?

He was near the "Wall Street Mill," an old gold ore stamping mill located about a mile from Barker Dam. He was away from any of the roads.

[JWright]

I just remembered a couple of other places right in Orange County. Irvine and Huntington Beach to be specific...

San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary (http://www.seaandsageaudubon.org/SJWS/sjws.htm)

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolsa_Chica_Ecological_Reserve)

[jsphotog]

I just remembered a couple of other places right in Orange County. Irvine and Huntington Beach to be specific...

San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Wow thanks, I love that they post a census of what animals are at the San Joaqin Sanctuary. I'll have to make a trip down there and post what i find.

[Boomsnapp]

I used to live in Orange county, and its really not the best place for wildlife photography in my opinion. Too built up, too much private property etc. But as in any place, you have to work with what you got. Fortuneatly, there are some very nice beaches, {laguna beach, Newport, san clemente} also theres catalina island. Youl find plenty of shorebirds, and marine life in these areas if you look for them. Especially low tide. Also You can try lake forest lake {in lake forest obviously} its a small lake but its one of the few places I know of in the area that has some nature to it.