Foliage on William Randolph Hearst Memorial Beach

I took this photograph in the forested area on William Randolph Hearst Memorial Beach. It’s located directly off the Pacific Coast Highway, across from the Hearst Castle. Park in the main lot and you’ll see a group of trees to the right when facing the water. The featured image was taken at the bottom of the hill at the edge of the tree line.

The consistent weather in this area makes this a great location to photograph year round.

It’s great to visit at both sunrise and sunset, but park hours prevent access during sunrise. The feauted image was taken mid-day, but I recommend visiting during sunset to enjoy the softer, warm light!

I discovered this location during a road trip up north. It was mid-day with overcast, which allowed for even light in this patch of trees. I wasn't sure what to expect at this location and I only had my 35mm lens available.

The trees are scattered along a hill so I positioned myself at the bottom to allow the trees to appear even larger.

When composing this image, I looked for a position that had an opening for a subject as well as interesting roots in the ground to lead the viewer in.

Across the street is Hearst Castle which is a popular attraction along the Pacific Coast Highway.