Here Are Our 28 Favorite Pics From Our Book About Wildflower Fields In California And Elsewhere
These are some of our favorite images in our new coffee table book, “Beauty and the Beast: California Wildflowers and Climate Change.”
How our journey began (by Rob Badger):
On a warm and windy spring day in 1992, I witnessed what was then a rare and spectacular wildflower display in the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, a California state park in the western Mojave Desert. I was awestruck by what was before me. During twenty years of photographing the West’s dramatic, iconic landscapes, I had never seen the desert so alive, shimmering with such an explosion of color and life. Experiencing such intense beauty was magnetic, intoxicating, and almost overpowering.
That evening I called home to Nita, my sweetie and fellow photographer. I described as best I could how it felt to see the wind move in waves across a vast sea of glowing orange California poppies and purple birds-eye gilia blossoms. Hearing my excitement, she knew she had to see this for herself. Because these flowers would soon disappear in the drying winds and growing desert heat, I quickly returned to San Francisco, where Nita was between photo assignments. We immediately drove back to the poppy reserve to enjoy and photograph this unbelievable beauty together. We did not know then that this was the beginning of a lifetime adventure exploring and photographing what we believed to be a limitless world of wildflowers.
Nita and I share an intense desire and commitment to using our work in ways that benefit both nature and humanity. For decades, her photographic projects have celebrated human diversity and helped members of underserved communities feel a much-needed sense of pride. My work for many years focused on both land conservation and the environmental destruction caused by human activities such as development, logging, and mining. I was becoming discouraged and emotionally burned out by what I witnessed and documented.
Photographing wildflowers opened up a new world for both of us. It allowed us to collaborate in many different ways and brought us closer together as photographers and as partners. Our photography now included both the grand landscape and a variety of ways to capture the world of a single flower. Exploring new areas, developing new skills, and learning more about native plants and where they live consistently brought joy into our lives and lifted my spirits. Searching for new places and flowers was like a magical treasure hunt, for it seemed that there would always be new wildflowers to discover, photograph, and share.
You can learn more in our new book, “Beauty and the Beast: California Wildflowers and Climate Change,” co-published with the California Native Plant Society.
More info: wildflowerbook.com | winterbadger.com | Kickstarter
Photographing wildflowers opened up a new world for both of us
Searching for new places and flowers was like a magical treasure hunt
California poppies, Lupine and Desert goldfields, Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve with San Bernadino Mountains in the background, California.
California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), Ring Mountain Open Space Preserve, Corte Madera, California.
It seemed that there would always be new wildflowers to discover, photograph, and share
Desert Canterbury bells (Phacelia campanularia) and Bigelow’s monkeyflower (Mimulus bigelovii) in desert wash during a “100 Year Bloom” in Joshua Tree National Park, California.
Set up of natural light studio and Datura wildflower, Joshua Tree National Park, California.
Datura (Datura wrightii), “Wrapped” Series, Joshua Tree National Park, California.
Poppies and wildflowers on hillside, Hungry Valley Vehicular State Park, Super Bloom, Tehachapi Mountains, California.
Echo azure butterfly (Celastrina echo) on blue dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum), Cascade Canyon Open Space Preserve, Marin County, California.
Desert sunflowers (Geraea canescens) and eroded lake deposits, Death Valley National Park, California.
California poppy and birds-eye gilia, Pepperwood Preserve, Sonoma County, California.
Desert candle (Caulanthus inflatus), Tansy phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia)detail left, Hillside daisy (Monolopia lanceolata), 2017 “Super Bloom,” Carrizo Plain National Monument, California.
Scarlet Fritillary (Fritillaria recurva) and rufous hummingbird, Upper Table Rocks, southern Oregon (also found in California)
Wildflowers after wildfire, Butts Canyon Road, Lake County, California.
Cobweb Thistle (Cirsium occidentale) with dew drops, Mt. Tamalpais, Marin County, California.
2017 wildflower super bloom, Carrizo Plain National Monument, California.
Leopard lily (Lilium pardalinum), Mt. Tamalpais State Park, Marin County, California.
2017 wildflower super bloom, Temblor Range, Carrizo Plain National Monument, California.
Giant Red Paintbrush (Castilleja miniata), “Contact” series, Inyo National Forest, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California.
Common Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia), Mt. Rainier National Park, Washington (also found in California).
Ground iris (Iris macrosiphon), “Wrapped” Series, Ring Mountain Open Space Preserve, Corte Madera, California.
Cover of our new award-winning coffee table book
6Kviews
Share on FacebookBeautiful photos! Thank you for sharing and bringing some joy to my day!
Thank you Kim. You are most welcomed. Bringing joy into people's lives was our intention. So glad it is working.
Load More Replies...The flowers are so beautiful 😍!!!! Thank you for your work on helping people realise the destruction that we cause.
You are most welcomed. We hope to also reach people who don't realize there are other options than just destroying nature for our own species's benefit and enjoyment. Our book includes 18 short stories by 16 passionate environmental leaders, scientists and nature writers with 25 simple steps you can take to make a difference. Hope to get this into thousands of libraries and people's homes over the next year. It's our commitment to use our art and talent to inspire action.
Load More Replies...one of my hobbys is photography and i wish to be able to take photos like that
We didn't start that way. Rob has been photographing for over 50 years and Nita over 45 years. Practice, practice, practice with a lot of patience helps. Keep at it. Having fun is so important.
Load More Replies...You have an incredible sense of finding intense beauty in what is otherwise just part of the landscape. You two are part human, part bee!
That is so funny. As a kid I, Nita, was called eagle eyes because I could find money on the beach. I am blessed with this amazing eye brain connection. It was so valuable in finding flowers.
Load More Replies...Thank you. Nature can be sooooo beautiful. We are so lucky to start with a beautiful subject matter. There are another 170 in the book available at www.wildflowerbook.com
Load More Replies...As a native to the region where some of these photographs were taken, I can concur that the wildflower blooms in the deserts of SoCal are unlike anything else in the world. My favourite set of photographs of my children were taken at the poppy preserve in Antelope Valley. Trivia: Antelope Valley is mostly in Los Angeles County; 30 minutes of driving north from the metropolis...it snows there in late winters. The winds in Joshua Tree make anything a challenge, and the Carrizo Plain is so far from anything...I personally recommend Death Valley from mid-December to early January. -Dr M, retired professor of California history
Yes, you know the great places to go. Have you spent time in Anza Borrego Desert State Park? Another magical place when the crowds aren't too huge or you can get into the back roads. Brittlebus...e93dbe.jpg
Load More Replies...We appreciate the compliments. It's not a banner wildflower season this year in California. I guess that is a good thing so people wouldn't be tempered to defy the shelter in place order. Not so good for the pollinators.
Load More Replies...Just noticed that the people who made it/helped that are on the cover of the book all have names related to nature, and I think that's wonderful. <3 (Rob Badger, Nita Winter, and Peter H. Raven)
We just love that that happened. Peter Raven is a wonderful human being and has become a great long distance friend. He lives in St Louis and is the president emeritus of the Missouri Botanical Gardens. One of the top botanists in the world and very funny man. We just love him. RAVEN_Port...d3cf61.jpg
Load More Replies...I love flowers! I truly believe they are one of God's greatest creation!
Thank you for your comments. Please accept my most sincere apologies for the delay in replying to your comment. We spend an average of 45 minutes creating individual floral portraits. When Rob was through photographing a wildflower he often gently kissed the petals out of love and gratitude for the flower's presence and beauty. To us there is definitely a most amazing source of love and creativity that has brought each beautiful flower into our world.
Load More Replies...Aren't they? We love them. Tricky to print them as the light coming through the blue on a computer monitor make them so stunning.
Load More Replies...Really beautiful photos! Nice work! I'm jealous of your travels.
Thank you. I am glad you enjoyed them. Lots of travel which we are jealous of ourselves these days. Stay safe.
Load More Replies...Those are absolutely gorgeous ! Thank you very much for sharing this <3
Thank you and your are most welcomed. We are so glad you let us know you enjoyed them.
Load More Replies...Hi Gretchen, Thank you. I am glad you enjoyed them. There are 190 images in our new book. If you are interested in seeing more images and reading the 18 wonderful short stories by 16 authors our book is available at www.wildflowerbook.com. Stay well and safe. Nita and Rob.
Load More Replies...Beautiful photos! Thank you for sharing and bringing some joy to my day!
Thank you Kim. You are most welcomed. Bringing joy into people's lives was our intention. So glad it is working.
Load More Replies...The flowers are so beautiful 😍!!!! Thank you for your work on helping people realise the destruction that we cause.
You are most welcomed. We hope to also reach people who don't realize there are other options than just destroying nature for our own species's benefit and enjoyment. Our book includes 18 short stories by 16 passionate environmental leaders, scientists and nature writers with 25 simple steps you can take to make a difference. Hope to get this into thousands of libraries and people's homes over the next year. It's our commitment to use our art and talent to inspire action.
Load More Replies...one of my hobbys is photography and i wish to be able to take photos like that
We didn't start that way. Rob has been photographing for over 50 years and Nita over 45 years. Practice, practice, practice with a lot of patience helps. Keep at it. Having fun is so important.
Load More Replies...You have an incredible sense of finding intense beauty in what is otherwise just part of the landscape. You two are part human, part bee!
That is so funny. As a kid I, Nita, was called eagle eyes because I could find money on the beach. I am blessed with this amazing eye brain connection. It was so valuable in finding flowers.
Load More Replies...Thank you. Nature can be sooooo beautiful. We are so lucky to start with a beautiful subject matter. There are another 170 in the book available at www.wildflowerbook.com
Load More Replies...As a native to the region where some of these photographs were taken, I can concur that the wildflower blooms in the deserts of SoCal are unlike anything else in the world. My favourite set of photographs of my children were taken at the poppy preserve in Antelope Valley. Trivia: Antelope Valley is mostly in Los Angeles County; 30 minutes of driving north from the metropolis...it snows there in late winters. The winds in Joshua Tree make anything a challenge, and the Carrizo Plain is so far from anything...I personally recommend Death Valley from mid-December to early January. -Dr M, retired professor of California history
Yes, you know the great places to go. Have you spent time in Anza Borrego Desert State Park? Another magical place when the crowds aren't too huge or you can get into the back roads. Brittlebus...e93dbe.jpg
Load More Replies...We appreciate the compliments. It's not a banner wildflower season this year in California. I guess that is a good thing so people wouldn't be tempered to defy the shelter in place order. Not so good for the pollinators.
Load More Replies...Just noticed that the people who made it/helped that are on the cover of the book all have names related to nature, and I think that's wonderful. <3 (Rob Badger, Nita Winter, and Peter H. Raven)
We just love that that happened. Peter Raven is a wonderful human being and has become a great long distance friend. He lives in St Louis and is the president emeritus of the Missouri Botanical Gardens. One of the top botanists in the world and very funny man. We just love him. RAVEN_Port...d3cf61.jpg
Load More Replies...I love flowers! I truly believe they are one of God's greatest creation!
Thank you for your comments. Please accept my most sincere apologies for the delay in replying to your comment. We spend an average of 45 minutes creating individual floral portraits. When Rob was through photographing a wildflower he often gently kissed the petals out of love and gratitude for the flower's presence and beauty. To us there is definitely a most amazing source of love and creativity that has brought each beautiful flower into our world.
Load More Replies...Aren't they? We love them. Tricky to print them as the light coming through the blue on a computer monitor make them so stunning.
Load More Replies...Really beautiful photos! Nice work! I'm jealous of your travels.
Thank you. I am glad you enjoyed them. Lots of travel which we are jealous of ourselves these days. Stay safe.
Load More Replies...Those are absolutely gorgeous ! Thank you very much for sharing this <3
Thank you and your are most welcomed. We are so glad you let us know you enjoyed them.
Load More Replies...Hi Gretchen, Thank you. I am glad you enjoyed them. There are 190 images in our new book. If you are interested in seeing more images and reading the 18 wonderful short stories by 16 authors our book is available at www.wildflowerbook.com. Stay well and safe. Nita and Rob.
Load More Replies...
67
27