Picture Perfect

Driving through Vermont you feel surrounded by the past. It may be its colonial beginnings or its agricultural Zeitgeist. Land, buildings and the culture all seem to be holding on to a time when nature and the people were completely intertwined.

My recent photo trip took me to the quaint northern Vermont town of Stowe. Stowe is an East Coast ski mecca in winter. This time of year it’s packed with leaf peepers; tourists looking to take in the stunning fall colors along with the Vermont vibe. As a photographer though the interesting images are most often found off the beaten path. So, after exhausting photo possibilities around the village it was time to wander.

Searching for photo locations in a new area is a bit like going to Las Vegas. You start by heading out of the town making the direction you choose your first gamble. Once on a solid road out of town your second gamble is deciding which side road to take. If the road you take converts to a dirt road you may be on to something. In this case I saw a road sign saying “Moss Glen Falls” which resonated with me. I took the turn, drove a mile or so and found a parking area and trail along a flowing stream. That stop yielded some nice images. 

My real fortune was getting back in the car and continuing on the dirt road. There I found this perfectly perched abandoned house that was pure Vermont. The owners current house was nearby but not in sight. The foliage was just about perfect for this scene.  And, there was a bonus because after shooting the abandoned building I simply turned around 180 degrees and there was this beautiful horse farm. Vermont!