Nature Manzanita Knob

Manzanita Knob · **4 Likes**

Just outside a mountain meadow is a dense bramble of manzanita, overtopped by standing oak and pine trees.
Clouds were above and floating by, changing the lighting by the moment. A spot of light from the bright edge of a cloud got through a hole in the upper canopy of leaves.
The place was fairly dark, but that brighter spot came briefly and then began to fade again on this broken and healed stem.
I snapped it as quickly as I could.
Spot metered on the brightest white in the dead wood. I should have metered the reddish area to get a bit more light in the image (a lower shutter speed).
I had to raise the exposure in post.
Angky.

**MikeNArk** · 07-07-2022, 05:54 PM

Manzanita. I had to look this up to get an idea of what I was looking at. From the information that I read, it sounds like it would provide sustenance for birds and wildlife among other things. At least I now know that semi-smooth covering is bark. It looks somewhat like Polk salad stems. Thanks for the lesson. An interesting capture.

**angkymac** · 07-07-2022, 10:15 PM

Originally posted by MikeNArk

Manzanita. I had to look this up to get an idea of what I was looking at. From the information that I read, it sounds like it would provide sustenance for birds and wildlife among other things. At least I now know that semi-smooth covering is bark. It looks somewhat like Polk salad stems. Thanks for the lesson. An interesting capture.

Bears eat a lot of manzanita berries, so, yes, it does provide food. And I think some folks use it as survival food--the berries. But it certainly isn't anything that anybody would want to eat!
The red is bark, as you said. But it exfoliates every year. Some of it is curling off at the top of the image. So it stays very smooth and semi-shiny.
Manzanita is a dry area shrubby tree, and comes onto ground that has little to no overstory above it--like after logging or fires.
It covers a lot of dry hillsides in this part of the country. Makes a very dense thicket of very strong woody stems and tangled branches--hard to work your way through it.
If it catches fire, you can forget about trying to stop the fire! It burns fiercely hot.
Thanks for your interest.

Angky.

**eaglem** · 07-07-2022, 10:22 PM

Good texture contrasts

**Sailor** · 07-08-2022, 06:55 AM

Cool shot - has an alien look and feel - something I enjoy.

Jer

**rhanz** · 07-08-2022, 07:22 AM

Originally posted by angkymac

Just outside a mountain meadow is a dense bramble of manzanita, overtopped by standing oak and pine trees.
Clouds were above and floating by, changing the lighting by the moment. A spot of light from the bright edge of a cloud got through a hole in the upper canopy of leaves.
The place was fairly dark, but that brighter spot came briefly and then began to fade again on this broken and healed stem.
I snapped it as quickly as I could.
Spot metered on the brightest white in the dead wood. I should have metered the reddish area to get a bit more light in the image (a lower shutter speed).
I had to raise the exposure in post.
Angky.

A lot of information there, nice picture and thanks for posting it

**ToddK** · 07-08-2022, 07:54 AM

Nice composition Angky. I like the mood created by the low light with this. I really like manzanita. It is a signature of the canyons of the coast range and Sierra foothills.

**angkymac** · 07-08-2022, 05:30 PM

Originally posted by eaglem

Good texture contrasts

Yes! Good call, EM.
That is one of the things that appeal to me, but I couldn't put my finger on what it was.
Thanks!
Angky.

---------- Post added 07-08-22 at 05:31 PM ----------

Originally posted by Sailor

Cool shot - has an alien look and feel - something I enjoy.

Jer

"An alien look".
Indeed I can see that!
Manzanita is so common for me that I just take shots of it, but it certainly does have that appearance.
Thanks!
Angky.

---------- Post added 07-08-22 at 05:33 PM ----------

Originally posted by rhanz

A lot of information there, nice picture and thanks for posting it

I'm glad you enjoyed the info and the image!
Thanks for saying so!
Angky.

---------- Post added 07-08-22 at 05:37 PM ----------

Originally posted by ToddK

Nice composition Angky. I like the mood created by the low light with this. I really like manzanita. It is a signature of the canyons of the coast range and Sierra foothills.

You are most definitely right in saying it is a signature item around here!
It grows everywhere in this harsh environment of dry weather and granite soils.
And when it burns, it turns the whole mountainside into ashes.
You know about that, I'm sure! But these past couple of years have really seen some raging infernos!
Thanks for your note, and glad the image gave you a good sight.
Angky.

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07-07-2022, 05:54 PM	#2
MikeNArk Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Conway, Arkansas Posts: 15,124	Manzanita. I had to look this up to get an idea of what I was looking at. From the information that I read, it sounds like it would provide sustenance for birds and wildlife among other things. At least I now know that semi-smooth covering is bark. It looks somewhat like Polk salad stems. Thanks for the lesson. An interesting capture.

07-07-2022, 10:15 PM	#3
angkymac Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2019 Photos: Albums Posts: 8,962 Original Poster	Originally posted by MikeNArk Manzanita. I had to look this up to get an idea of what I was looking at. From the information that I read, it sounds like it would provide sustenance for birds and wildlife among other things. At least I now know that semi-smooth covering is bark. It looks somewhat like Polk salad stems. Thanks for the lesson. An interesting capture. Bears eat a lot of manzanita berries, so, yes, it does provide food. And I think some folks use it as survival food--the berries. But it certainly isn't anything that anybody would want to eat! The red is bark, as you said. But it exfoliates every year. Some of it is curling off at the top of the image. So it stays very smooth and semi-shiny. Manzanita is a dry area shrubby tree, and comes onto ground that has little to no overstory above it--like after logging or fires. It covers a lot of dry hillsides in this part of the country. Makes a very dense thicket of very strong woody stems and tangled branches--hard to work your way through it. If it catches fire, you can forget about trying to stop the fire! It burns fiercely hot. Thanks for your interest. Angky.

07-07-2022, 10:22 PM	#4
eaglem Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Perth Western Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 43,146	Good texture contrasts

07-08-2022, 06:55 AM	#5
Sailor Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Coastal Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 26,205	Cool shot - has an alien look and feel - something I enjoy. Jer

07-08-2022, 07:22 AM	#6
rhanz Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2016 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,961	Originally posted by angkymac Just outside a mountain meadow is a dense bramble of manzanita, overtopped by standing oak and pine trees. Clouds were above and floating by, changing the lighting by the moment. A spot of light from the bright edge of a cloud got through a hole in the upper canopy of leaves. The place was fairly dark, but that brighter spot came briefly and then began to fade again on this broken and healed stem. I snapped it as quickly as I could. Spot metered on the brightest white in the dead wood. I should have metered the reddish area to get a bit more light in the image (a lower shutter speed). I had to raise the exposure in post. Angky. A lot of information there, nice picture and thanks for posting it

07-08-2022, 07:54 AM	#7
ToddK Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas Hill Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,532	Nice composition Angky. I like the mood created by the low light with this. I really like manzanita. It is a signature of the canyons of the coast range and Sierra foothills.

07-08-2022, 05:30 PM	#8
angkymac Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2019 Photos: Albums Posts: 8,962 Original Poster	Originally posted by eaglem Good texture contrasts Yes! Good call, EM. That is one of the things that appeal to me, but I couldn't put my finger on what it was. Thanks! Angky. ---------- Post added 07-08-22 at 05:31 PM ---------- Originally posted by Sailor Cool shot - has an alien look and feel - something I enjoy. Jer "An alien look". Indeed I can see that! Manzanita is so common for me that I just take shots of it, but it certainly does have that appearance. Thanks! Angky. ---------- Post added 07-08-22 at 05:33 PM ---------- Originally posted by rhanz A lot of information there, nice picture and thanks for posting it I'm glad you enjoyed the info and the image! Thanks for saying so! Angky. ---------- Post added 07-08-22 at 05:37 PM ---------- Originally posted by ToddK Nice composition Angky. I like the mood created by the low light with this. I really like manzanita. It is a signature of the canyons of the coast range and Sierra foothills. You are most definitely right in saying it is a signature item around here! It grows everywhere in this harsh environment of dry weather and granite soils. And when it burns, it turns the whole mountainside into ashes. You know about that, I'm sure! But these past couple of years have really seen some raging infernos! Thanks for your note, and glad the image gave you a good sight. Angky.