When is the best time of year to enjoy and photograph California poppies?
Lepp: The main season for poppies is late March through mid-May. That’s your main large display. The beginning of April tends to be the best time. There have been years where there hasn’t been a single poppy out there because it hasn’t rained or due to other conditions. As far as individual poppies, I have poppies in my yard every month of the year. Outdoor Photographer: Where else in the world do you find poppies? Lepp: You’ll find this particular genus of poppies in Oregon, then it comes down through California and sort of slides over into Arizona. The main species, Eschscholzia californica, is situated mostly in California itself. There are other poppy species and, of course, poppies that are used in narcotics; those are found in Asia and other places. Outdoor Photographer: You mentioned that the light can be difficult at times when the flowers are open. Do you use reflectors or other light-altering techniques? Lepp: In general, I stay with the light that’s there. Very little has be
