Runners Up

• 

  Antelope Valley California Poppy Preserve
  "During a peak bloom in mid-April 2008, I drove north from Los Angeles to enjoy the day hiking through the fields and hills covered with California poppies. The preserve protects a number of California's native wildflowers, but the poppies are the star of the show."

  Photo by mlgb

• 

  Laguna Beach
  "This was taken about an hour after we landed in CA. My husband and I live in Minnesota and this was the first time we felt the true warmth of the sun in about 8 months (our winters are quite long!)."

  Photo by berned_you

• 

  Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
  "Beautiful Golden Gate bridge and San Francisco's downtown at dusk."

  Photo by chomi

• 

  Yosemite National Park, Sierra Nevada Mountains
  "My mother took a job at Yosemite after having retired from a non-profit in New York City. She used to vacation there as a child and when it was my turn, I did as well. Thus, we always come full circle when we return. That particular day, I tried cross country skiing for the first time. An avid downhill skier, I quickly learned that cross country is more physically demanding, slower going, but scenically spectacular. I chose to use the time to find the perfect shot of Half Dome. It actually took hours as I waited for various changes in light as the sun was setting."

  Photo by spcorley

• 

  Venice Beach
  "This fellow was a big hit on Venice Beach. It was quite windy the day I was there & he was having trouble keeping his hat on."

  Photo by watercolorjen

• 

  Bodie, Mono County
  "This is a reflection of old buildings in an old window in the ghost town of Bode, CA."

  Photo by ansela

• 

  Cloud's Rest, Yosemite National Park
  "Cloud's Rest beckons to me every time we visit Yosemite, so I decided to hike up with friends and family to celebrate my 60th birthday. The rocks near the summit are fascinating—like a pile of pillows you can scramble up. And the views from the top are fantastic. We had a great day."

  Photo by enzian

• 

  Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles
  "I was taking shots of the concert hall, focusing on different aspects of the structure, when the surrounding landscape came into focus. Here the great building is a backdrop to the natural world."

  Photo by dalydaly

• 

  Central Coast
  "California's central coast is a popular place for surfers and wind surfers. If you're not up to surfing yourself, spend some time relaxing on the beach and watching the action."

  Photo by DoreenD

• 

  Golden Gate Bridge
  "I wanted something unique—I sat for over 3 hours in the cold waiting for the bridge to come out of the fog and for the water to splash just right!!"

  Photo by adnil1962