Red White and Blue

I have always loved shooting rusty things and Empire Mine State Park is the motherload for rusty history. Add some snow and everything changes.  I went out early on Sunday morning to try and see if I could capture the snow mixed in with the gold mining equipment, before the snow melted.  

The park was closed when I first arrived, but i was able to shoot this over the fence from the parking lot. The sky was pretty dark still at this time of the morning. 

The park was closed when I first arrived, but i was able to shoot this over the fence from the parking lot. The sky was pretty dark still at this time of the morning. 

When I returned 2 hours later, much of the snow had already melted. 

When I returned 2 hours later, much of the snow had already melted. 

Shooting in the snow is new to me, and the biggest challenge has been to keep the white balance as close as possible, without the snow turning blue or the highlights being blown out. 

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Cabin in the Woods

If you like old shacks and cabins, then check out the Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park in Nevada City, California.  The park is the location of an 1800's gold mining town and what is left is a mini ghost town. 

My first trip to this park was last year in the middle of summer. When I decided to make my 2nd trip to the Malakoff Diggins park, I didn't realize it would be 1 to 2 feet deep in snow, but that really made for some interesting images. 

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If you visit the park, you will find an old cemetery, historic church, lake, hiking locations and you can take guided tours of some old general stores. 

Winter in the Foothills

It took a really long time for winter to finally happen in Northern California. Between storms and bad driving conditions, I managed to find time for a few photos before the rain returned to melt the snow. These are my favorites. 

The biggest challenge about winter in Nevada City is how fast the snow melts. I want to shoot the snow in 3 or 4 different locations, but I seem to run out of time before the snow is gone. 

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Broad Street, Nevada City

Broad Street, Nevada City

Broad Street, Nevada City

Broad Street, Nevada City

Deer Creek in Nevada City

Deer Creek in Nevada City

Nevada City

Nevada City

Empire Mine State Park, Grass Valley

Empire Mine State Park, Grass Valley

Empire Mine State Park, Grass Valley

Empire Mine State Park, Grass Valley