Thurman Dix Reservoir (E Barre VT)

I just love it when really good things come from making a mistake. After we left Seyon State Park in Groton VT we were going to head to Groton State Forest. We got to the main road, and I mistakenly told Mr S to take a right, when we actually should have taken a left. After a few miles, I realized my mistake. We stopped at a gas station to fill up and use the restroom. We also bought a few sandwiches for a picnic lunch at the State Forest. (I knew there was nowhere else to get food for lunch once we hit the state park, and I need to keep Mr S happy and well fed) :-) I told the cashier about my mistake and she recommended we turn onto Reservoir Road on our way back because she said it was beautiful there with beautiful reflections. So, we followed her advice and it was beautiful there!

Nikon D90, ISO 200, 1/30, f8, +1/3ev

We drove to the end to "scope out" the place and stopped at the end where there was a woman photographing the birds. I got out of the car with my camera and joined her. She was very kind and told me about many of her experiences photographing here. As I was leaving, we exchanged business cards. I looked at her card and realized that this woman is someone whose work I admire and respect. She is a well accomplished wildlife/landscape photographer from VT named Linda Baird White. Here is her website:

http://vermontperspectives.smugmug.com/

One of the images I made while speaking with her:

Nikon D90, ISO 200, 1/160, f9

A few more images resulting from my "mistake":

Nikon D90, ISO 200, 1/50, f22, +1/3ev

Nikon D90, ISO 200, 1/50, f22, +1/3ev

Life is full of surprises!!

Seyon Pond Groton VT

I am back home. After spending 7 days in Vermont I managed to find 2-3 hours of sunshine. Luckily for me, the sun made it's appearance the morning I was photographing at Seyon State Park in Groton VT. I had my best day of photography of the trip on this particular morning. There was virtually no wind which made perfect reflections on the water. I was also blessed with some clouds which added some interest to the sky. It doesn't get much better than this when there is peak foliage. This was my "Vermont Moment" for 2012.

Nikon D90, ISO 200, 1/20, f20, +1ev

Imagine yourself sitting in one of these adirondack chairs.

Nikon D90, ISO 200, 1/60, f20, +1/3ev

Nikon D90, ISO 200, 1/25, f20, +1/3ev

Nikon D90, 1/25, f20, +1/3ev

Nikon D90, ISO 200, 1/15, f22, -1/3ev

This last one is my favorite image of the season so far. I titled it "Heavenly". I was all alone at the lake. Mr. S took a hike (literally) :-) around the entire lake while I was photographing. The way the clouds were in the sky and reflected in the water on such a beautiful calm morning of solitude made it an almost spiritual exerience for me. One that I do not take for granted nor I will never forget.

Nikon D90, ISO 200, 1/25, f20, +1/3 ev

Greetings From Barton

I am typing up this blog post via wifi from the Barton Public Library in Barton VT. I have spent 3 and a half glorious amazing foliage filled days up here so far. This weekend, I hosted a camera club Fall Foliage NEK (Northeast Kingdom) trip. We had a fantastic time, and I am confident that everyone who attended came home with some keepers! The foliage is fantastic this year. Don't have much time for details, but would like to share just a few images that I have taken so far.
Here is Long Pond in Westmore/Newark (not sure where at this point but will correct when I have time) The colors here were spectacular.

Here's a long view of a farm on a hillside taken in Barton

A barn on Hinton Hill Road in Westmore

Mr S arrived up here yesterday morning and today we took some back road drives to places we have never explored before. I just love to hit the backroads and discover new places to photograph. And I found some beauties today!!!! So very happy to be here and doing what I love to do most. Will update again as the week goes on.

Here I go!!!!

The cameras and lenses have been cleaned. The batteries have been charged. The tripod is packed, and the camera bags have been packed. The car is packed except for the suitcase and the camera bags. The maps and itineries and contacts have all been printed and packed.
I'm ready to go. Will be leaving for VT tomorrow morning and am spending the next 8 days up there photographing Autumn in Vermont in all of her glory.

That's one from the archives and I am looking forward to seeing this year's foliage first hand. Reports coming in so far are lots of bright reds and bright oranges this year.

I'll post here as soon as I can so stay tuned.............

WELCOME AUTUMN 2012

It's here!!! It's finally here!!!!! Yes, I know it arrived yesterday and I am a day late (and probably a dollar short too)
 Happy Autumn everyone! I just know that this is going to be a glorious Fall. Early foliage reports from Northern VT are looking great and I am eager to get up there!! The colors last year were rather muted, and the season was slow to start, and then came to an abrupt end. This year promises more vibrant colors. I'll be up there by the end of this week and from the sounds of things, should be hitting it at peak.
Here is a foliage shot from the archives. I am still using N's laptop, and found some images that I had taken on Oct 16th, 2010. This is one of those images that I originally overlooked, but upon a second look, I really like it. What I like the most about this photo is the angel who is looking down on us. Do you see her? I am posting her here to bless us with a brilliant Autumn season.

 

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/320, f13, -2/3ev

I hope you can find some time to get out and enjoy Mother Nature's most decorated season.

 

Soule Homestead Harvest Fair

I attended the Soule Farm Homestead Harvest Fair in Middleboro MA this past Saturday with some members of my camera club. As always, we had a great time together. The skies were grey, and the sun came out just as we were leaving to head home. (figures!) We made the best of it and avoided the grey sky in our shots. My computer is in the shop being repaired (long story but let's just say I will NEVER give Best Buy or the Geek Squad my business again!) These images were shot in RAW and processed with Picasa on my son N's laptop. I miss my Photoshop and Viveza software but hopefully will get the computer back from repair early next week. I have been without it for almost a month now.
Here are a few shots from that day:

 

Nikon D90, 17-55 mm lens, ISO 400, 1/400, f3.2, -2/3ev

 

Nikon D90, 17-55 mm lens, ISO 400, 1/2000, f3.2, -2/3ev

Nikon D90, 17-55 mm lens, ISO 400, 1/100, f7.1, -2/3ev

 

Nikon D90, 17-55 mm lens, ISO 400, 1/2000, f3.2, -2/3ev

  Nikon D90, 17-55 mm lens, ISO 400, 1/800, f2.8

Orleans County Fair and more from Vermont

As you know, I love the Fall. There are many things that remind me that summer is nearing an end and that Fall is just around the corner, and those signs were very apparent on my recent trip to VT a few weeks ago. Each year we attend the Orleans County Fair in Barton VT, and this always signals the end of summer for me. The temps always seem to dip on this weekend and there is always a Fall feel to the air. Sweatshirts were needed once the sun set, and morning temps were in the 40's with a blanket of fog in the valleys and dancing on the ponds and lakes at sunrise. The crickets were chirping during daytime hours.These are all sure signs that Fall is just around the corner.......and I love it.
Here are a few pictures from the Fair. It's always such a fun evening for us.

 

The fair food is probably disgusting and we all know that it's unhealthy......but damn it smells good!

 

Saturday evening ended with a Josh Grayson concert (American Idol finalist) He's a great country singer and put on a very good show.

 We took a few drives looking for moose. My son N really wanted to find a moose for his girlfriend Melissa, and wouldn't you know, he found her one! It was a cow moose (female) along Rte 16 E (Willoughby Lake Road) in Barton. We drove right past her, but N spotted her and we backed up to see her. She was amazing but she didn't stick around long enough for me to get any pictures of her. She was camera shy. :-) Here's one of her cousins that we saw. Certainly not as exciting as a moose, but pretty nonetheless.

I love the early morning fog this time of year. Notice the blanket of fog in the valley from this image taken on Hinton Hill Road in Westmore.

 

I am also drawn to photograph the beautiful old New England churches. This is the Westmore Community Church located along Rte 5A by Lake Willoughby in Westmore. I loved the flowers which were in the road island at the corner of Rte5A and Hinton Hill Road so I placed them in the forefront of the church image,

Vermont........it's all I need! :-)