I have photographed this same hillside many times in the last few years. Anyone who has traveled from Bakersfield to Tehachapi drives past this when they get to the junction of St. Hwy. 58 and Hwy. 223. This hill is on the property of Tejon Ranch, the largest private landholder in California.
I took this a couple of years ago when I first tried shooting in RAW and was discouraged by the extra work flow. So, I hadn't even really looked at it then. I didn't realize then what I had.
I have begun shooting exclusively in RAW format and I am now hooked on the flexibility and control that is available in this format. This shot was RAW converted to HDR by Photomatix.