This year for New Year’s Eve, Julia and I took Owen up to her parent’s ranch in Stallion Springs. We were accompanied by our friends Brian, Nina, and their son who is Owen’s age. Visiting Stallion Springs always provides a ton of exciting outdoor activities. What made this trip even more special than usual was the snow storm that arrived just before the turn of the new year. We went for a hike in the pre-storm fog of New Year’s Eve, and then got to enjoy a winter wonderland on New Year’s Day. Here are my 30 favorite photos from this trip. I hope you enjoy them!
1.) Isla and Lilly could sense the electricity in the air. 
2.) Julia walking with Owen in front. This is on the Horsethief trail, one of my favorites in Stallion Springs. 
3.) Just doodles being doodles.
4.) That moment my mind places me in a Braveheart style battle reenactment…
5.) Brian And Nina Enjoying the Horsethief Trail.
6.) Light shining through the oaks. 
7.) Leaving the fog behind with blue skies ahead. 
8.) Brian, Nina, and their baby under one of my favorite oak trees. Lilly with the photobomb. 
9.) Julia, Owen, and I pose for the same shot. 
10.) Snow begins to fall on Buddha. The plant next to Buddha is living off of Owen’s placenta. A very special place for all of us. 
11.) My 4Runner, Gray Wolf, in his natural habitat. 
12.) Zev shows Lilly the morning views. 
13.) The Burning Bush by Julia’s father is one of my favorite pieces on the ranch. It’s a tough call though, as he creates so much captivating art. 
14.) Just short of daybreak. My favorite time of day. 
15.) A look into the courtyard. 
16.) Boyd and Lorna pointing out the views to Owen. Isla eating bird seed in the background. 
17.) Isla and Lilly love hanging out with their big doodle cousin, Zoey. 
18.) Lorna leads the pack. 
19.) Julia and Owen with the early morning light. 
20.) Our bundle of joy going airborne. 
21.) Zoey, a.k.a Honey Bunz, plays in the snow. All 75+lbs of her. 
22.) The beautiful Casa Serena. Julia’s father had a dream and made it a reality. I’m so lucky to be able to visit. 
23.) Zelda breaks away on the Horsethief Trail in the snow. 
24.) Isla chased after me and face planted. I love her so much, she’s such a trooper. 
25.) Brian breaks trail through the snow. 
26.) My favorite oak with a coat of white.
27.) Up close. 
28.) Enjoying a beautiful start to 2017!
Impressive photos!! Wish you a great new year 🙂 PedroL
Thank you! A happy new year to you as well!
Beautiful photos as always!
Thanks, Rechito! Happy new year!
Awesome photos per your norm. Happy New Year.
Thank you! A happy new year to you as well!
What a nice way to celebrate the new year. I love the winter wonderland shots. Happy New Year to you, Julia, and Owen. Cheers, Caroline
Thank you, Caroline! A happy new year to you and the family!
These are so beautiful! Wishing you a great year ahead! 🙂
Thank you, Ratika! A happy new year to you!
wonderfully expressed
dogs & people adventures!
may there be
many more, david 🙂
Thanks!
These ate beautiful photos. A very happy new year to you and yours.
Thank you, Miriam! A happy new year to you and yours as well.
Thanks very much!
Love all of these, thanks for sharing! Have you shared any of your trail stories with The Dirtbag Diaries? We love them too and I’m sure you have some goodies to tell by now. Funny to read about your Gray Wolf…we named our 2001 Four Runner “Old Grey” and she’s equally awesome. Also, crazy coincidence, we have a golden doodle and our last dog was named Zoe…maybe all nature lovers think alike? 🙂
Thanks! I’ve never heard of Dirtbag Diaries. I’ll have to check it out. Cool to hear you have a doodle named Zoe. I do tend to notice a similarity in names found in the nature loving community 🙂
These photos are stunning!! Happy New Year!
Thanks, Nadine! Happy new year to you as well!
Awesome photos! What kind of camera do you use?
Thanks! I shot these with a Sony a6000 and Sony 10-18mm lens.
Awesome thanks! I’m thinking about getting either the Sony a6000 or a6300 so that helps a ton
Great cameras! The a6300 isn’t that much different than the a6000, but does offer some nice upgraded features. I always spend more on the lenses than I do on camera bodies. The lenses tend to last the life of 3 or 4 camera bodies, and some for a lifetime.
Thanks for the tips, one more quick question…do you know any good starter lenses for the a6000 that are on the cheaper side ($200-400)?
What kind of lens are you looking for? Prime, wide-angle, telephoto? I’m a huge fan of wide angle lenses, and they’re pretty much the only thing I shoot with. The Sony 10-18mm is at the top of the line with the Zeiss 12mm, but there are many more affordable wide angle options. Julia uses the Sony 16mm f/2.8 , which is nice becuase you can pick up a wide angle adapter for the times when you need it. Even left at 16mm, it’s wide enough for most shots. You’ll just be limited with range as it’s a prime lens. To go even wider on a fixed budget, you can grab the Rokinon/Samyang 12mm f/2. I used this lens a lot in Japan for the 2 added f stops in low light. The downside here is that it is a lens that requires complete manual controls. I really like this while traveling, as it makes for a more intimate photography experience. It can be a hassle while hiking though, as the manual focus means you may miss a few shots. For landscapes though, I set the focus close to infinity and shoot away. The glass on the Rokinon is tack sharp. If you’re not sure which lens you want, my advice is to shoot with the kit lens for as long as possible. This way, you can go back through your photos and look at EXIF data. I realized that I was always shooting at 18mm on my 18-55mm lens. This made it pretty clear that I needed to go wider. If you’re mostly at 55mm, on the other hand, you’ll want a lens that can get you closer. If you’re always in low light, you might want a fast f/1.8 or f/1.4. Much like hiking and backpacking, there are different tools for different jobs. I’ve just found that wide landscapes make up 99% of the photo jobs I like to take on. Let me know if you have any questions or any specific range of lenses you’re interested in.
Sony 16mm: http://amzn.to/2iNefti
16mm Wide Angle Converter: http://amzn.to/2hWaOfr
Rokinon 12mm: http://amzn.to/2igv10t
Huge help! Thanks! I’ll continue to do some research but I would guess I will be using some sort of wide angle as I do a lot of hiking/backpacking
Beautiful shots! the light and snow sure make for an eerie and gorgeous place to enjoy. Happy new year! and happy trails! 😉
Jul’
Thank you, Juls! Happy new year to you as well!
just beautiful… Love the picture… Keep it up. Have a wonderful 2017 🙂
Thanks, you too!
Drew! thanks for the great images of our get together in Stallion Springs California; it was really great starting the year with you and the crew. You have really inspired us to get out more and celebrate this wonderful land. You are a very fine guide of how to enjoy and merge with nature …our greatest teacher!
Thanks, Boyd!