We left right after Help-Portrait to join my parents in Mount Snow, Vermont. It was a much anticipated week of vacation that we all really needed. As we were driving North, the snow was growing thicker. We actually were quite lucky, as there was none the week before. It was a very relaxing and energizing week, punctuated by snowshoeing and sleigh rides. What a nice feeling to wake up to a winter landscape with hot pancakes and maple syrup to kick-start the day.
The highlights of the week were probably to wake up at dawn with my dad so we could go shoot the sunrise and whatever subjects we’d find interesting along the way… like this charming little river running along the road. We must have spent at least an hour there, during which time I captured many of my most favorite photos of the trip. And the outdoor swimming pool, hands-down, what a blast! I hope you enjoy these photographs as much as I did taking them. Please let me know if any of them stick out for you, and why. I find it fascinating as it allows me to see them under a different light.
December 17, 2009
“Vintage Snow Plows”
I had spotted those trucks the day before but the gate on the industrial property they were parked on was closed. Today, it was not. It gave me the opportunity to take a few shots of them, which I did in a hurry given how cold the weather was. Even the locals were freezing. I had to refrain from using my tripod for an extended period of time. Setting up anything without any gloves on was shear torture.
December 16, 2009
“Self Portrait”
I’ve been meaning to take a self portrait for a while… but never found the right time or place to do it. That was until my dad and I decided to try out the outdoor swimming pool. It was a blast. If I remember correctly, the water temperature was about 93F, which converts to 34C. Swimming in the middle of a snowfall is not something to be missed. The actual outside temperature was well below freezing point, which explained why my hair rapidly turned into an ice helmet.
I set up my camera on a tripod and had fun… or went silly, depending on the way you look at it. Seriously, I wouldn’t trade it for a beach in the summertime. Swimming on your back and watching the snow falling all around you at night is really epic. However, it’s possible that our repeated adventures in the cold weather triggered some sort of neuralgia, something both my dad and I seemed to suffer for the next few days. As you can imagine, we heard quite a few “I told you so” from our respective wives. Did it phase us? Not really… we were out to enjoy the sunrise in the coldest of days yet the next morning.
December 15, 2009
“Forest Edge”
We parked on the side of the road so I could get this shot. The sun was slowly setting, and the well defined treeline gave me the perfect opportunity to test the graduated neutral density filters my wife got me for my birthday the week before. Without them, there was no way I would have been able to capture any detail in the forest. Or the sky would have been blown out, take your pick. I’ve been wanting such filters for quite some time and they did not disappoint. One more tool that I won’t leave at home.
December 14, 2009
“Family Snowshoeing”
The skies had cleared following the latest snowstorm, a perfect weather to go snowshoeing in virgin powder snow. We hiked for about three miles, which would have been a fairly easy feat if Jasmine didn’t rest on my shoulders for the most part. With no poles to help with balance, we ended up falling quite a few times. Everyone else seemed to enjoy taking pictures of it… a little too much. I can’t blame them, I probably would have done the same.
This photo was taken nearby Grout Pond, right before we headed back to the car. I obviously set my camera on a tripod for this shot. The timer gave me just enough time to run back to the bench for a classic family shot. Having everyone look good on it was the single trickiest part. Sorry, Jasmine… The stomped snow may not look great but it gives you an idea of how much had just fallen. A week earlier, there was none.
