Lower Klamath Lake, California

Lower Klamath Lake, located on the California/Oregon border, is the centerpiece of the Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. Since it attracts hundreds of thousands of snow geese and tundra swans each fall, it is a mecca for bird photographers.

This remote and thinly populated part of California possesses a unique, austere beauty but is almost completely ignored by landscape photographers.

This is one of Gerhard's more abstract compositions. Like in the Salton photos below, there is no subject per se. The image is all about light and color, and the interplay between water and sky.

Pentax 67, Pentax 55 mm lens, Fuji Velvia.

Mossbrae Falls, California

Mossbrae Falls is a little spot of paradise in Northern California that is virtually unknown to non-residents. Gerhard has been photographing there for years, and each trip brings completely different images. This is one of his favorite fall color photographs. Using a wide-angle lens, he arranged his composition so that the looming rocks in the river lead the eye toward the beautiful waterfall in the background.

Tachihara 4x5, Rodenstock Grandagon-N 90 mm lens, Fuji Velvia.

Mount Shasta, California

At 14,162 feet, Mount Shasta, located in far Northern California, is the Golden State's seventh highest mountain. While it can be seen from Interstate 5 for 100 miles in each direction, most people never bother to stop and admire its majestic beauty.

This photo was taken in late November after the first major snow storm.

Pentax 67, Pentax 90 mm lens, Fuji Velvia.

McCloud River, California

The McCloud River runs southeast of Mount Shasta and is considered one of the most scenic rivers in California.

This 20-second exposure reduced the rushing water of the McCloud River to a whitish blur, obliterating distracting details and creating an illusion of rocks floating in space. The blue cast in the water gives the image a primeval feel.

Tachihara 4x5, Rodenstock Grandagon-N 90 mm lens, Fuji Velvia.

Sacramento Valley, California

The Sacramento Valley is the northernmost extension of the Central Valley. It is a tranquil agricultural area dominated by two color schemes: velvety green in the spring and golden brown in the summer.

This picturesque ranch is tucked away in the Dunnigan Hills, just minutes of Interstate 5.

Tachihara 4x5, Rodenstock Grandagon-N 90 mm lens, Fuji Velvia.

Rice Field, Central Valley, California

Rice is one of the major crops grown in the Sacramento Valley. In the late spring when the seedlings begin to peek out of the water, the rice fields look like a giant green carpet.

Scenes like this can be seen up and down Interstate 5 between Williams and Sacramento, yet most motorists simply speed by.

Canon EOS 630, Canon 100-300 mm USM lens, Fuji Velvia.

Green Hills, Marin County, California

For a few weeks each spring, hillsides all over California are clad in brilliant green. Then, when the heat of summer takes over, the color scheme turns to shades of gold and brown (see next image).

This photo was taken just outside of Novato in Marin County, north of San Francisco.

Pentax 67, Pentax 55 mm lens, Fuji Velvia.

Golden Hills, California

This is what most of California looks like in the summer. It's easy to see why its nickname is The Golden State!

This image was taken in the Capay Valley east of Sacramento.

Canon EOS 630, Canon 35-80 mm lens, Fuji Velvia.

Berryessa Hills, California

This is one of those rare images that you cannot plan for. Gerhard had gotten up early to drive to Napa Valley and as he was climbing a hill, the sun came up, bathing the fog-shrouded valley below in pure gold. The lack of detail gives the image an oriental feel.

This area is located to the east of Napa Valley proper. There are many smaller valleys tucked into the coastal mountains both to the east and the west of Napa Valley.

Canon EOS 630, Canon 100-300 mm USM lens, Fuji Velvia.

Napa Valley, California

This image was taken about 30 minutes after the previous image. The lingering fog and the warm light turn an otherwise mundane scene into something magical.

Pentax 67, Pentax 200 mm lens, Fuji Velvia.

Aspen, California

During a workshop in California's Eastern Sierra, Gerhard was experimenting with overexposure and by a stroke of luck, he ended up with this luminous image.

The Eastern Sierra is one of the prime locations for fall color in the American West. The aspen trees begin to turn color in early October, and they usually peak in the 2nd or 3rd week of October. Most of the best spots, such as Monitor Pass, Lundy Canyon and Lake Sabrina, are easy to reach from Highway 395.

Canon EOS 630, Canon 100-300 mm USM lens, Fuji Velvia.

Dusk, Salton Sea, California

The Salton Sea is a huge saltwater lake in the Southern California desert that most people completely ignore because at first glance, it seems so barren. For the photographer, however, the area offers a charm all its own, and when the conditions are right, the results can be magical.

Gerhard took this photo about 20 minutes after sunset. The haze drastically reduced visibility and blurred the boundaries between water and land, land and sky. The result is an image that is sublime in its simplicity.

Pentax 67, Pentax 200 mm lens, Fuji Velvia.

Dawn, Salton Sea, California

This sunrise image sets a counterpoint to the previous image which was taken the evening before. The horizon line is drawn more clearly, and the color palette is much cheerier. What excited Gerhard about this scene is the reduction of subject matter to pure color, and the relationship between water and sky.

Pentax 67, Pentax 55 mm lens, Fuji Velvia.

Colorado Plateau, Utah

The Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness in Southern Utah is rarely visited by tourists because it is so rugged and remote. For the photographer who is willing to do some hiking, however, the rewards can be awesome.

The area is known primarily for its beautiful sandstone formations. Early morning light makes the rock glow and brings out layer upon layer of intricate detail. Gerhard used a slight back tilt on his 4x5 camera to achieve maximum depth of field.

Tachihara 4x5, Rodenstock Grandagon-N 90 mm lens, Fuji Velvia.

Red Rock Wall, Utah

This is a small section of a large rock face outside of Hanksville, Utah. Gerhard spotted it from his car and immediately pulled over.

Without any point of reference, it is almost impossible to tell the size of the area shown in this image (about 1 square yard). The color of the rock and the sensuous lines are reminiscent of the slot canyons of Northern Arizona.

Pentax 67, Pentax 55 mm lens, Fuji Velvia.