Spring Road

Stumblebum

Oh I love Spring and it is still in full bloom, but clouds are starting to disappear. Hope to get few more cracks at it this year! Below are some from this year some from tail end of spring last year.

1) Cala Lillies at Dusk

2) Birds of Rainbow

3) Spring Buck

4) Vulture's Nest

5) Three Amigos

6) Farmland on Fire

7) Mellow Yellow

8) Golden Kiss

9) Spring Symphony

10) Spring Road

11) Upon the Golden Pond

12) Giant Bonzai

13) Spring Pasture

14) Glimpse of Heaven

15) Spring Lake

16) Missing Rider

17) Spring Gold

18) Spring Babies

19) Spring Montara

20) Spring Crashsers

black mamba

Lord have mercy, Taz, you've thrown me right into sensory overload. I can't begin to pick a favorite. This is a set of photos that I'll visit again and again. Absolutely stunning stuff.

sarasphotos

Really beautiful set, Taz. What I really appreciate is that you've kept a sense of realism in the scenes. The beautiful colors and tones that nature provided - nicely enhanced to bring out the best, but not looking fantasy or fairy tale. Because I'm still a farm girl at heart I'll name #13 as my favorite. Love that cow and her reflection.

Stumblebum

Many thanks Sara and Tom!! Cheers!

Cornflake

Number 9 in particular is wonderful.

You do excellent work, Taz. There are times for me when I'm a little too conscious of the processing. Sara has the opposite reaction and her reaction is probably much more common than mine.

Cavalier

Well, now you've gone and done it - you make me want to go out searching for Spring shots at a time when we're not suppose to leave home.

As usual your photos are outstanding - #13 and #19 are my favorites. I still want to be you when I grow up.

Stumblebum

@Cornflake said:
Number 9 in particular is wonderful.

You do excellent work, Taz. There are times for me when I'm a little too conscious of the processing. Sara has the opposite reaction and her reaction is probably much more common than mine.

Thanks kindly Don! Processing is just a tool to help you drive towards the goal one has and that can vary.
I only shoot if the light is worth shooting in. If I catch good light, then that eliminates the need to try add something extra or create something new.
I didn't have to do much to these images.
Of course there are multiple frames to most importantly handle the dynamic range of the scene. I usually end up putting light source straight in my lens and that is not as easy as it sounds. You have to deal with flares, hot spots, blown out bits etc. Only way to resolve that is with multiple frames exposed at different exposures to borrow information. I would say 80% of my processing is related to handling the dynamic range of the scene.
I also borrow elements from different frames. If I am standing their with my tripod if a bird makes a pass, it may not have happened at exact same moment when the best light for foreground occurred but it happened and it is to be used.
I start with exact same settings for all shots.

In the end I am the one who will view my images most and I don't want to depress image on a purpose to what average person considers "real". When "real good light occurs" most of them are in their bed. When I am rushing towards the sunset, they are all driving back. Which is great, 90% of the time there is no one around me.
I pull things back a lot but I STOP at the point below which I start disliking or not enjoying the image and it starts feeling like a delete.
The amount of effort it takes to create these is unfathomable to most.
Waking up at 3-4 am driving for hours like a zombie due to lack of sleep, finding some spot where light and elements align, hiking, climbing, rushing, cutting through brush, slipping on wet bluffs etc. execute, get drenched in water, struggle to keep gear dry on coast, then drive back, either to work or late at night to home, and then processing takes few hours at least per image.
I can't then take the image to point where I can't enjoy it and it starts to feel like a delete to me, just because few others might like it more.
Cheers.

Stumblebum

@Cavalier said:
Well, now you've gone and done it - you make me want to go out searching for Spring shots at a time when we're not suppose to leave home.

As usual your photos are outstanding - #13 and #19 are my favorites. I still want to be you when I grow up.

Thanks for the kind words Jo,

I hope you are well! I live by myself so there is no danger of me giving anything to anyone. I shoot by myself so no contact with anyone else.
So whenever light expectation was good I kept sneaking out.
Once you are in back country, there is no one who is there to pay attention to you.
For Spring that is the case usually.
For coast, if they were extremist in enforcing the shelter in place then yeah you might get in trouble.
I got the feeling that at least in Bay Area they did NOT enforce it fanatically.
So this worked out for me.
Usually can't chase because I am working. However, they sent us home a month ago and above is mostly result of "working from home"! ;o)

kdog

Terrific series, Taz. You've outdone yourself yet again. It's really hard to find a favorite here, they're all wonderful.

Stumblebum

@kdog said:
Terrific series, Taz. You've outdone yourself yet again. It's really hard to find a favorite here, they're all wonderful.

Many many thanks my dear friend! Cheers

OrvSal

You have outdo ne yourself with this series. They are all worthy of being displayed at home or in a gallery! Excellent.

Stumblebum

@OrvSal said:
You have outdo ne yourself with this series. They are all worthy of being displayed at home or in a gallery! Excellent.

Thanks truly!! I appreciate kind comments very much!

jerryr

Very nice - especially #3, #5 and #11 - excellent work and thank you for sharing !

Stumblebum

@jerryr said:
Very nice - especially #3, #5 and #11 - excellent work and thank you for sharing !

Many many thanks Jerry! Cheers!

dlplumer

You had me with #1

David_S85

I keep coming back to this thread and my jaw just drops every time. Amazing images. Wall hangers, every single one.

Stumblebum

Dan, David, thanks much! Can't say that enough! Cheers!

Juano

Really nice work Taz, I’m amazed. Contrary to Sara I feel the images come from a fairy tale. Now you just need to write it!

Stumblebum

Many thanks Cristobal! Means much! Yeah, i think photography and day dreaming go hand in hand! Love the dreams that you create too!! It would be good to look back one day, and let images take you back in time, to remind us of the journey!!!

torags

Wow... great series of work Taz...

All great (& well composed)

Stumblebum

Thanks kindly Rags! Cheers!

shniks

Beautiful series - #4 is special for me.

roaddog52

An amazing set of images Taz. I haven't been on the site for awhile, I'm glad I didn't miss these. It's hard to pick a favorite, but I love the light, the lines, and shadows of #4.

Phil

Stumblebum

Nikhil and Phil, always happy to see you guy's here! Thanks for kind words!

For #4 it was hard break in middle of the road, driving to #10! ;0) Parked the car in middle of the road, but its back country so you can get away with it. A car came behind me and I thought, oh here we go, this guy is going to kill me. Instead it was another Photographer searching for shots and pulled behind me and took same shot and then followed me to #10 also!

Lame story but I thought it was worth it! Cheers mates!

joshhuntnm

Magical!

shawnc

Amazing Glow in every image. Spectacular!

Stumblebum

Josh and Shawn, many thanks!

shawnc

Every Time this thread gets bumped, it forces me to admire your images each time.
These really are terrific. Nearly every image is doing exactly what it was meant to do. They "Draw you in" , and you gladly go.

Stumblebum

Many thanks Shawn!