Magenta Owl’s Clover at Quail Lake
During the exceptionally productive Quail Lake bloom of 2005, dense magenta owl’s clover spread across the foreground in broad patches while California poppies colored the hills beyond. The photograph is part of a larger series made in the same area that day, each panorama isolating a different combination of species, color and scale within the western Antelope Valley bloom.
The winter season of 2004–2005 brought record rainfall to the region, and the western Antelope Valley responded with an unusually prolific wildflower season. Around Quail Lake, the density and scale of the bloom varied dramatically from one part of the landscape to another.
In this composition, the magenta owl’s clover became the dominant foreground color, stretching across the plain in broad masses while California poppies appeared on the hills beyond. The contrast between the saturated magenta foreground and orange hillside bloom gave this panorama a character distinct from the other photographs made nearby.
This image was one of several panoramas made in the Quail Lake area that day. The series documents how quickly the visual balance of the landscape could change simply by moving to another position and allowing a different species to become the foreground subject.