Glenn's Recommended List of

Antelope Valley and SoCal

Photography Opportunities

Forward: This web site is being created as an aid to Antelope Valley photographers who are looking for opportunities to take photographs. It is ordered, generally, by proximity with the assumption that many novice and amateur photographers wish to practice relatively close to home. As these photographers go through the learning process it is also assumed that they will be looking for opportunities to practice specific types of photography such as architecture, action, nature, and such. Therefore this site is organized as follows:

• Opportunities by Location
  • Close in to Lancaster, Palmdale, and Rosamond
  • In or Near the Antelope Valley
  • Southern California (SoCal)
• Opportunities by Activity
• Opportunities by Season
• Lists of Places
• Opportunity Details

Amateur photographers are encouraged to use the internet search engines to learn about the sites before they go, view photos already taken at the site and posted on the internet, and consider how they want to compose their own photos and what lenses, equipment, and settings might be most appropriate. This will increase their chances of a successful trip and going home with keepsake, interesting, or award winning photos.

This is, and will be, a work in progress. Any and all constructive comments are welcome. Help in adding information will also be appreciated.

Note: This web site was inspired by the LPA page 'Places to Go in the Local Area'. There may still be a few places where I plagerized from that site as I was roughing out this page to see how it would look. These will be removed as I get to them.

• Lancaster
  • Western Hotel & Museum
  • Prime Desert Woodland Preserve
  • Apollo Park
  • AV MotoPlex
  • Milestones of Flight Air Museum at Fox Field
• Palmdale
  • Blackbird and Joe Davies Aircraft Museums
• Rosamond
  • Exotic Feline Breeding Compound
  • Tropico Gold Mine
  • Willow Springs Raceway
  • Willow Springs town and stage coach stop

• Mojave
  • Aircraft
    • Mojave Air and Space Port
    • Mojave Virtual Museum/Mojave Transportation Museum
    • Air museum in construction on old Hwy 58 East of Mojave
  • Train Station and Switch Yard
  • Architecture

South

• Lombardi Ranch

East

• Devil's Punchbowl
• Little Rock Resevoir
• A. V. Indian Museum
• Piute Ponds - restricted access
• AV Sanctuaries
  • Alpine Butte Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Big Rock Wash Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Blalock Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Butte Valley Wildflower Sanctuary
  • Carl O. Gerhardy Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Jackrabbit Flat Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Mescal Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Theodore Payne Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Pacelia Wildflower Sanctuary
• Saddleback Butte

West

• Ripley Desert Woodlands
• Devil's Punchbowl
• Lake Elizabeth
• House Used in Filming "Gone With the Wind"
• Desert Pines Sanctuary
• Shea Castle

• Desert Tortoise Natural Area (North of California City)
• Red Rock Canyon Area
• Randsburg Area
• Tehachapi Area
• Kern River Valley and Surrounding Area
• Trona Pinnacles
• Death Valley
• Fossil Falls

South

• Acton Wash Sanctuary
• Vasquez Rocks
• Kilcoyne Lilac Ranch, Acton
• Bouquet Canyon Area
• Leona Valley
  • Llama Ranch
  • Buffalo Ranch
  • Lake Isabella
  • Lake Hughes
• Saugus Southern Pacific Railroad Depot/Saugus Station
• Los Angeles Area
  • Descanso Gardens
  • LA Zoo/Griffith Park
  • Getty Center
  • Huntington library
  • L. A. County Museum of Art (LACMA)
  • La Brea Tar Pits - Page Museum
  • Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific
  • Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
  • Original Farmers Market
  • Palm Springs Living Desert
  • Petersen Automotive Museum
  • South Coast Botanic Garden
  • Universal Studios
  • Union Station
  • Venice
  • William S. Hart Park and Museum
  • Gardens of the World, Thousand Oaks
  • Walt Disney Concert Hall
  • Arboretum of Los Angeles
• Angeles National Forest
• Anza-Borrego State Park
• Big Rock Creek - (37 miles south-east)
• Imperial National Wildlife Refuge
• SoCal Missions
• Marilyn Lupica Flower Garden
• Leo Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

East

• Lockhart Ghost Town & Wildlife Sanctuary
• Calico Ghost Town
• Joshua Tree National Park
• John Wayne Museum

West

• Fort Tejon
• Philmore Train Station
• Carrizo Plains National Monument
• Bakersfield
• Hart Park - Bakersfield

• Horses
• Race Cars, Motorcycles, Bicycles
• Off-Highway Vehicles
• Water/Dirt Sports
• Reenactors - Civil War, Pirates, Rennaisance Festivals
• Birds
• Aircraft
• Hiking Areas
• Stargazing

• Ojai Rennaisance Faire, April
• Cowboy Festival, Santa Clarita, late April
• Poppies and "AV Poppy Festival," late April
• Renaissance Festivals
• Annual Kern Valley Spring Nature Festival, early May
• California Vulture Migration North
• Mule Days in Bishop, May
• Long Beach Civil War Reenactment, May
• May, Lilac Festival in Frazier Park
• Frazier Park Jousting Tournament and Fair (late May?) see also
• California Amphibian & Reptile Celebration, Weldon
• Spring Flowers
• Early June, flowers, bugs, and birds at the top of Mt Pinos near Frazier Park
• Leona Valley Cherry Festival/Parade (early June)
• Thunder on the Lot (Motorcycle Show, Concerts, other - mid June)
• Big Bear Pirate Faire, early June

Summer (Jul-Sep)

• Palmdale's Thursday Night on the Square
• Leona Valley Annual Cow Chip Championship, Early July
• Fourth of July Fireworks, everywhere
• Celebrate Downtown Lancaster, July
• Late July, Frazier Park Fiesta Days
• Tehachapi Mountain Festival, August
• Frazier Mountain Shakespeare Festival
• AV Fair, August
• Kern Valley Hummingbird Celebration, Weldon
• Big Bear City Renaissance Faire, August
• Ardenwood Renaissance Faire, August
• Mojave Gold Rush Days Parade and Festival, September
• Ojai Pirate Faire, September
• Palmdale Jazz and Wine Festival, September
• Fox Field Air Fair, September
• Aqua Dulce Country Fair, September
• Kern Valley Autumn Nature & Vulture Festival, Weldon
• Tall Sailing Ships, mid-September
• Greek Festival
• Aerospace Walk of Honor, Lancaster, September
• Lancaster "Bark at the Park," late September
• California Vulture Migration South
• Rosamond "William M. Ketchum Parade," September
• Lancaster Hospitality Walk, early December

Fall (Oct-Dec)

• Calico Days, early October
• Early October, Peddlers' Fair in Frazier Park
• All Hallows Fantasy Faire, late October
• Calico Ghost Haunt, Late October
• Escondido Rennaisance Faire, October
• Lombardi Ranch: September, October
• Edwards AFB Open House (inconsistent)
• Cal City Renaissance Festival, October
• Palmdale Fall Festival, October
• Fox Field Airshow, Carshow, and Chile Cookoff?
• Thermal Layering, best viewed from Rosamond
• Lakes and Valleys Art Guild (LVAG) juried art show, entries October-ish, showing November-ishNote: the web site is not often updated but it's an active group and full of inspiration. Contact Dave Faust for anything important.
• AV Veterans's Parade, early November
• AV Gem and Mineral Show at the Fairgrounds, early November
• Early November, Craft Fair in Frazier Park
• Calico Ghost Heritage Fest, Late November
• Lancaster Holiday Parade, early December
• Metrolink "Holiday Toy Express," mid-December, Lancaster
• Lancaster "Hospitality Walk and Lighting of the Boulevard"
• Rosamond Parade of Lights, early December
• Western Hotel Tree Lighting, early December
• Palmdale Holiday Parade
• LA Auto Show plus many more events
• Valleyermo Fall Festival
• Palmdale Fall Festival
• Calico Days
• Fall Colors near Bishop
• Christmas in Calico, Early December

Winter (Jan-Mar)

• Snow in Tehachapi
• Fog in Cameron Canyon
• Mardi Gras at the Farmer's Market in LA
• LMAG annual (January - March?) All Media Art Exhibit. While not an event to take photos it's a great place to gain inspiration.
• Calico Civil War, Mid February
• Vista Civil War Reenactment, March
• Quartz Hill Almond Blossom Festival, March
• Agoura Renaissance Pleasure Faire, March

Community Links for Seasonal Activities

• Official Rosamond, CA <.li>Visit Rosamond
• Car Shows

1. Abstract:
2. Action:
3. Animals:
   • Prime Desert Woodland Preserve
   • Birds
4. Close Up:
5. Creative:
6. Desert Scenes:
7. Desert Wildflowers:
   • Flowers
8. Flowers:
   • Flowers
9. Human Interest:
10. Multimedia:
11. Nature:
12. Photojournalism:
    • Search the newspapers and online news sources for upcoming activities, research online photos of similar activities, then go and take photos. There will often be news photographers and journalists at the activity, sometimes willing to take time to talk to amateurs.
13. Pictorial:
14. Portrait:
    • Sierra Hwy & Lancaster Blvd, F-4 stand has angled and curved concrete
    • Sierra Hwy & Milling, red brick wall
    • Sierra Hwy & Milling, Metrolink station & trains
    • Cinderblock walls, Sierra & G, H & 10th W
15. Step Into The Past:
    • Cantil
    • Randsburg
16. Structures:
17. Travel:
18. Vehicles:
    • Old vehicles
    • New vehicles
    • Specialty Vehicles
    • Racing Vehicles
19. Miscellaneous:

• Blackbird Park Air Museum. One of the few places in the country where you can get up close to an SR-71 and F-117 aircraft. Also at the museum are many other military and NASA aircraft.
• Joe Davies Heritage Airpark. Right next to the Blackbird Park this museum has many military and NASA aircraft.
• Palmdale Web Site
• Fox Field is the regional base for firefighting aircraft. During fire season it's not uncommon to see many fixed wing and rotorcraft firefighting aircraft. Because they are relatively slow they make great photographs.
• Milestones of Flight Air Museum at Fox Field
• Fox Field Air Fair, September
• Mojave Air and Space Port
• The Mojave airport has recently started a monthly "Plane Crazy" event with vintage aircraft and cars. This is scheduled the third Saturday of each month from 10 AM to 2 PM.

AV MotoplexAV MotoPlex Motorcycle Jump Area Along Hwy 14: From the freeway take Ave H West to 30th West, North to G-8, East. Also has a bicycle motocross.

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Organization

• LA Arboretum, LPA Newsletter December 2007
• Natural History Museum which includes butterfly and other temporary exhibits.

• Aqua Dulce County Fair Site
• LPA Web Site
• Vasquez Rocks

• Some photographs of the birds found in the AV.
• LPA Newsletter article on bird photography workshops at Lake Isabella, May 08
• Vultures:
  • The California Condors migrate through the Antelope Valley in the Spring and Fall each year. Their route of travel is through East Palmdale to West Rosamond then toward Tehachapi. They often fly in large flocks where they catch thermals to rise high into the air then soar in the direction they are headed, losing altitude as they do. It is in this lower part of their flight that they are best photographed. On very windy days there are no thermals so they have to fly low to the ground where they can be photographed with more land-based backgrounds.
  • They can be seen throughout much of the year around Lake Elizabeth, sunning themselves in the early morning then flying off during the day. Just at sunset they tend to return to their roosts along the lakeside.
  • Kern River has an annual vulture event.
• Heron: Great Blue and Black-Capped Night Herons can often be found at Apollo Park.
• Ducks: Ducks, especially Mallards, can be found at Apollo Park year round. They can also be found in many of the rain catch-basins throughout the populated areas of the Antelope Valley.
• Geese: There are many Canadian and domestic geese that hang around Apollo Park year round.
• Cormorant: These can be found at Apollo Park, Lake Elizabeth, and other lakes in the region.
• Gulls: There are many gulls (seagulls) that hang around Apollo Park year round. Whenever there is bad weather on the coast many gulls move up to the Antelope Valley and can be seen everywhere.
• Blackbirds:
  • The Brewer's Blackbird can be seen throughout the AV year round.
  • Redwing and Tricolor Blackbirds can be found throughout the valley in the early springtime. They have a nesting area at Holiday Lake in Neenach which can be accessed off Hwy 238 (turn right at 245th W., go left on B8, right on Ideal, and look for the trees and gate. At this same location have been seen Great Blue Herons and other common birds.
• Raven: The Common Raven are ubiquitous in the Antelope Valley. They are hard to photograph in detail because of their coloring though sometimes they show up well when flying and with trees as a background. Many people call these crows, which are similar, but there are no crows currently living in the Antelope Valley. They are abundant in the LA Basin and the Central Valley.
• Hawks: The most common hawk in the AV is the Red-Tailed Hawk. These are usually easy to spot though their tails don't take on the characteristic redness until they reach maturity. There are several other types of hawks in the AV but they are harder to spot and photograph.
• Eagles: Eagles are less common than hawks but do frequent the area.
• Bob Steele's web site. Bob usually teaches the bird photography workshops at the Annual Kern Valley Spring Nature Festival
• Hart Park in Bakersfield, 231 species listed

• Blackbird Park
• Joe Davies Airpark

• Calico Ghost Town Home Page
• Calico Days, October
• LPA Newsletter, March 2008

• National Park Service
• LPA Newsletter article on November 08 trip to Eureka Dunes

• Original Farmers Market
• Annual Events:
• Mardi Gras, February
• Farmers Market Summer Music Series, May-September

• Apollo Park
• LA Aquaduct which flows around the West side of the valley. On place which is quite popular is where it crosses 60th West above Quartz Hill.
• Quail Lake at the far West end of the valley, just past the house used in "Gone With the Wind."
• Lake Elizabeth
• Little Rock Dam East of Palmdale

• The AV Poppy Reserve and Poppy Festival. In a good year the Poppy Reserve as well as the surrounding area, and to a lesser degree the rest of the high desert, has millions of poppies as well as many other wild flowers to view and photograph. Many photographers stop outside the Reserve because of the reduced restrictions and no admission fee. Wild poppies can also be found all along the Hwy 99 corridor and along the I5 north of Sacramento.
  • California Parks web site
  • LPA Newsletter articles: April 2008, May 2008
• Other than poppies there are hundreds of species of wildflowers that bloom each spring all over the high desert. Many are found along highways but others must be sought out along dirt roads and by hiking into more remote areas. In the Spring of 2009 the elusive Desert Candles were growing on 30th W, just south of Baccus Rd, between Rosamond and Mojave.