You can't do a redwood forest justice in photos. Or at least I've not learned how to yet. First there's the problem of fitting a tree into a picture - they don't fit. Way too big. Then there's the colors, so richly green and brown - they just don't come through in my photos. And then there's the majesty of the trees - their presence - their fairy tale aura - what ever that non-tangible element is. Not captured.
Fortunately, the main subject of my photos were an engaged couple. People photos, I can handle. I drove 2 hours down to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in Felton, near Santa Cruz. Redwoods were background elements. It was cloudy, with a tiny splattering of drizzle - worrying, because the trees already provided lots of shade, and I prefer not to use flash. I was also worried because although the forest was beautiful, we were separated from it by a wooden fence that lined the trail.
One can only take so many pics of people sitting on fences or walking down trails. Luckily, the couple were up for some off-roading, which made for much more interesting photos.As it turned out, the groom-to-be used to be a California tour guide, and thus I learned some Gold Rush era history associated with the park. One-Eyed Charlie (the other eye was lost to a horse kick - OUCH) was a stage coach driver in these here parts. Apparently not having stereoscopic vision wasn't a problem, as he had reputation for being an excellent driver, and gunman. Anyways, way back in 1868, One-Eyed Charlie cast a vote for the US president. It wasn't until he died, that it was discovered that Charlie was actually a woman, her real name being Charlotte. She may have been the first woman to have voted for a president in US history; women weren't allowed to officially vote until 1920. All this is going to come up in Jeopardy one day, just wait.