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  • Two geese standing in a fall-colored vineyard
    Road leading through a vineyard into the sunset.
    Bright yellow, orange and red leaves in a vineyard landscape with a clearing storm over the Salinas Valley
    Long exposure of car lights trace the path of a highway through a vineyard landscape at dusk.
    Backlit silhouette of a farmer in a vineyard at night that looks like the Scheid Vineyards logo.
    The Milky Way spans the night sky above vineyards with the distant lights from Highway 101.
    Green vineyard rows lead to layers of purple mountains under an orange sky.
    Looking through green spring vineyards rolling over hills at the base of mountains against a sunset sky with 2 oak trees silhouetted.
    Silhouette oak at sunset.
    Black and white photo of barren grape vines pruned into the shape of crosses with dramatic white clouds shrouding the top of the Santa Lucia Mountains in the background.
    Black and white high contrast photo of wild winter grape vines
    Infrared black and white photo of glowing white vineyards against hills and mountains.
  • Aerial drone photo of vineyards and fields along River Road winding south through the Salinas Valley by the light of a full moon with the city lights of Gonzales and Soledad in the distance.
    Green and yellow vertical curvy parallel rows grape vines in the spring.
    The Lucia Highlands Vineyard on a spring evening with the lights of Gonzales, the Salinas Valley, and Gabilan Mountains in the background under a blue night sky.
    Aerial photo of vineyards with autumn colors.
    Columns of twisted barren grape vines in the fog in black and white.
    Photo of a vineyard that looks like a Monet painting.
    Looking over a green vineyard into a valley of farmland with mountains in the background and palm trees in the foreground at twilight.
    Looking down vineyard rows into a valley of city lights and fog with mountains beyond.
    Green Chardonnay grape vines line the foreground with the Salinas Valley and City of Gonzales under a shroud of gray clouds, and golden Gabilan Mountains in the background.
    Green vineyards in the foreground lead into the Salinas Valley with red sunlit mountains in the background and a tobacco sky.
    Photo of an autumn vineyard in a painterly style
    Backlit yellow and green grape leaves and clusters of pinot noir grapes on vineyard trellises that extend into infinity.
  • Looking through green spring vineyards rolling over hills at the base of mountains against a sunset sky.
    Night falling across the Salinas Valley and the City of Soledad from Hahn’s vineyards.
    Road running up hill between vineyard rows to green mountains with clouds in the sky.
    Looking out from under a large oak tree towards the city lights of Soledad across vineyards and the Salinas Valley.
    Rows of pruned grape vines with mountains and clouds in the background.
    Looking over a green vineyard into a valley of farmland with mountains in the background at twilight.
    Looking through green spring vineyards rolling over hills at the base of mountains against a blue sky.
    Green vineyard rows.
    Vineyard rows leading off into the horizon and mountains.
    Vineyard rows leading off into the horizon and mountains.
    Vineyard rows leading to mountains.
    Vineyard rows leading to mountains.
  • Green grape vines.
    Looking down vineyard rows at a tree with more vineyard rows in the background.
    Vineyard rows leading down to a tree with more vineyard rows in the background.
    Yellow and green vineyard rows.
    Wildflowers and vineyard rows.
    Vineyard rows leading off into the horizon and mountains.
    Rows of grape vines with black grape clusters and white leaves.
    Grape vines with city lights and mountains in the background.
    Grape vines with colorful lights in the night sky.
    Soft focused vineyard rows.
    Looking down a vineyard row that looks like it’s been painted.
    Looking down a vineyard row that looks like a painting.
  • Green bushy vineyards with some fog in the background.
    Green vineyard rows with yellow wildflowers.
    Aerial photo of green, yellow, orange, and red vineyards with a road, winery, and mountains.
    Aerial photo of vineyards with autumn colors.
    Aerial photo of vineyards with autumn colors.
    Aerial photo of vineyards and other farm land with autumn colors.
    Looking through green spring vineyards rolling over hills towards a valley and mountains against a blue sky.
    Looking through green spring vineyards rolling over hills at the base of mountains against a blue sky.
    Black and white image of glowing white spring vineyards rolling over hills towards mountains.
    Looking over a green vineyard into a valley of farmland with mountains in the background in the late afternoon.
    Boekenoogen sign with gold metal letters on a fieldstone wall with vineyards above and red flowers on the sides at sunset.
    Looking over a green vineyard with oak trees into a valley of farmland with mountains in the background at twilight.
  • Rows of grape vines with oak trees in the background.
    Wine grapes are best harvested at night when the tempertures are cool so the fruit isn't damaged by the daytime heat.
    Wine grapes are best harvested at night when the tempertures are cool so the fruit isn't damaged by the daytime heat.
    Aerial photo from about 150 feet above a River Road Wine Trail Valentines Passport festivities with vineyards and mountains in the background.
    Infrared black and white photo of glowing white vineyards against distant hills and mountains.
    Black and white image of glowing white spring vineyards rolling over hills towards mountains with a huge oak tree in the foreground.
    Rows of dark barren grape vines separated by rows of white grass with a cloudy sky overhead.
    Black and white image of glowing white spring vineyards sloping down towards a valley of farmland with mountains in the background.
    Aerial drone photo of auntumn colored vineyard rows set against the Salinas River at sunset.
    Aerial drone photo of expansive vineyards rows of autumn colors at the foothills of the Gabilan Mountains.
    Streaks of red, green and white light softly illuminate a vineyard at night.
    Aerial drone photo of auntumn colored vineyard rows set against Pinnacles National Park with puffy clouds acattered across a blue sky.

Wine & Vineyard Photography – Vineyardscapes

Steve Zmak has done a number of assignments for California wineries and wine organizations including conceptual photo illustrations for magazine covers, location and studio bottle shots, event coverage, advertising photos, portraits, label and website design, and of course the grapes, vines and vineyard landscape. His photographic imagery goes beyond the literal presentation of a subject to releasing its energy and exposing its inner light in new and unique ways, including his award-winning Lens Painting technique for a painterly effect.

Steve Zmak is a longtime member of the Monterey County Vintners & Growers Association (MCVGA), and many of his photos are used on their website and print publications. Zmak also shoots for the Santa Lucia Highlands Wine Artisans and River Road Wine Trail Association, and is a part of the permanent collection of the Monterey County Agricultural Museum. His photography clients include Hahn Family Wines, Scheid Vineyards, Pessagno Winery, Morgan Winery, Sarah’s Vineyard, Austin Harlow Winery, and Chateau Margene. His photos have appeared on the cover of Wine & Travel magazine 3 times.

Two geese standing in a fall-colored vineyard

The ponds and reservoirs in vineyards make great migratory stops for all kinds of birds. These geese were reluctant to pose for me as the sun went down, but they were no match for my steady hand and long lens.

 

Long exposure of car lights trace the path of a highway through a vineyard landscape at dusk.

The original California interstate highway, Highway 101 or Camino Real, bisects the vineyards of the Salinas Valley through San Lucas in the shadow of the Santa Lucia Mountains.