SPRING 7

This is how I know that spring has finally arrived here in central Massachusetts -- the azaleas are blooming. Until this explosion of color greets me outside my mudroom door, I can't be really sure about the arrival of spring. Yeah, I know, it a "pretty" picture, but this azalea is a really big one -- a good 10-feet across and at least five feet tall. And when it blooms that a lot of color. This azalea in full bloom is my signal to move the snow blower to it summer hiding place and out of the garage.

WOODEN INDIAN in the SPRING 6

Northern Franklin County, 4 May 2008

While out on my "spring" foray, I came across this carving. Not until I read in several blogs about evaluating images in monotone (I use the term "monotone" because the original is a digital capture, and converted to "monotone" in a channel mixer layer and added a little yellow and red in the shadows just to warm it up) to see if they are good color images. What nonsense. I never thought the image was anything but a color image. If I had taken this picture 30 years ago, I probably would have shot it in B&W (meaning I would have used B&W film) mainly because I wasn't shooting color back then. I didn't even consider shooting color until the mid-1980's. Seems to me it's all a moot point, and people are merely looking for fodder to replace their lack of images. I had my 4x5 camera pack with me on this outing, BTW, so I had the option.

SRPING 5

Worcester County, MA 4 May 2008

SPRING 2

Wheeler Pond, Franklin County, MA 5 May 2008

While I was setting up for this image -- 40D with the 70-200 f/4L mounted on the tripod -- a woman was walking down the road and stopped to talk. We exchanged greetings and comments on the spring weather, and then she says to me: "I wonder where my ducks and geese are?" I told her I had politely ask them to go away and not disturb the water until I was finished. She thought about for a minute and then uttered a "grump" sound while walking away. I didn't know they were her ducks and geese....

SPRING

Wheeler Pond, Franklin County, MA 4 May 2008

Ellen and I had driven out to New Salem, MA in the late afternoon the day before for a dinner engagement, and noticed along the way that every little nook and cranny was filled with water. And being that the air was cool and calm, all standing water was like glass. I wanted to stop then and there to make pictures. Sunday morning broke dark and gray with light drizzle, and it was 10 a.m. before I felt there was enough light to make a decent exposure. The above scene was 1/15th f/8 at ISO 100. Yes, a little contrast enhancement was called for. However, it's that time of year when the new greens are tipping every limb and twig and bush. Everything seems fresh and delicate. I spent the entire morning and early afternoon on the back roads of northern Worcester County. This morning is bright and sunny, and while the new green is sparkling in the sunlight, it doesn't have that magical mood of a drizzly day and the way the wetness magnifies the colors.