A fresh snow blankets the sleepy little village of Lititz,Pa on a quiet night. These poor snowman and santa are trapped behind glass and wish they could get out to frolic in this winter wonderland.
Dashing Through The Snow
Finally found some time to visit Lititz,Pa again to capture some more shop scenes in the downtown area. The first scene that caught my eye was this set of reindeer,complete with illuminated red noses and a sleigh with christmas packages behind them. I had to rush a bit because they put the reindeer away at closing time,which is just the time the light gets good. A few pops of the flash added a bit of interest to bring the scene to life. This was shot saturday and then it snowed on sunday,which would have added to the shot but this turned out pretty good despite no snow.
Buggy Vista
A row of Amish buggies sits lined up at a hilltop church in Lancaster County. I liked the perspective which included farms in the distance.
Moss Covered Monument
Vermont Foggy Lake
Dawn breaks through the fog and the sun illuminates this lakeside retreat.Imagine waking up to this view every morning.
Detailed Cross
This is one of countless cemetery markers at Mount Auburn. I lit it with flash from the side to highlight the stonework and inscription which was taken from john 12:32.
Moment of Reflection
A Painters Paradise
This famous building known as motif number one has been an inspiring subject for artists of all types for decades. I shot this reverse angle to catch the town church steeple in the background.
Cemetery Arch
One of a Kind
Title says it all.
Rustic Wagon
Autumn in Vermont
Country Road
Old Sleigh
This rustic old sleigh was decorated for fall along a country road. Would love to see it in the snow.
New England Church
This beautiful church was photographed in Vermont on a foggy fall day. A second church sits down the road a short distance away.
Vermont Wispy Clouds
We were out shooting early in Vermont and we passed this farm with lovely clouds over it. They looked like mini tornadoes in the sky.
Brattleborough Vermont
The stone in the foreground is weathered and falling apart, leaving only a few details to the imagination.
A Gift From Above
This brand new chain saw carving was just finished in the last few days and showcases the artistry of Dean Fox, a man with a unique gift and the vision for seeing something special within trees that are past their prime and destined to come down. This angelic figure was carved from a large tree that had died and church members decided to have this done with the large remaining trunk. One church member commented to me that the tree had a huge lean to it,but with the artists skill,it now appears straight.Thankfully a church member met me this evening to turn on the sanctuary lights,which I felt was important to bring the photo to life. The fresh lacquer gives it a strong golden glow,but that will fade over time. The bottom photo shows the artist in the beginning stage of carving with his chain saw. John 15:5-I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Classic Vermont Barn
Usually when I travel,I randomly pick back roads and many times do not remember where I shot certain photos. This place is one I found ten years or more in the past while still shooting film,and much to my surprise,I came across it on my trip this fall. It is a lovely barn located not too far from Grafton Vermont.
Lower Kaaterskill Falls
This is lower Kaaterskill falls in the Catskills of New York. We came down the road,saw there was two spots for cars and quickly parked. I thought how lucky we were to get the second spot until I heard the State Troopers Siren chirp directly behind us. I look and he points at a sign directly above our car that says absolutely no parking. We never saw it and he was nice enough to just warn us,so we drove up the road to a parking area and I had to walk a hundred yards or so to get the shot. There is a more dramatic falls up the hill from this but after I started the first thirty feet climb over boulders,I basically decided I did not have it in me with my gear along.
Autumn Backdrop
A touch of flash helps bring out the beauty of these tombstones in mount auburn cemetery. Fall leaves adds a splash of color in the background.
Fall Display
An old tractor sits surrounded by huge pumpkins in this field in Massachusetts.
Winding Vermont Road
The cool gravel road contrasts with the warm fall foliage on a Vermont back road. A birch tree adds a touch of white and the winding road leaves the viewer wondering what is around the bend.
Fishing Memories
If these buoys could talk,the stories they would tell would be amazing.
Fog on the Lake
Sunrise breaks through the fog on this Vermont lake. A lone house sits nestled in the woods.
Steeple Vista
I photographed this view of North Adams, Massachusetts from a small hill near town. the numerous steeples sticking high into the air caught my attention,so I sought out a vantage point to capture them. The hillsides have a little bit of color in them,but it was mostly disappointing this year. Located in the Berkshires,this town was first settled in 1745 during King Georges War.
Motif Number One
Rockport Massachusetts was one stop on my brief new england photo trip and shooting this classic scene was among my goals. I learned something new about this spot after hearing a term mentioned by three separate people in about an hours time. This place is referred to as motif number one,and is located on Bradley Wharf in the harbor town of Rockport, Massachusetts.It is a fishing shack well-known to students of art and art history as “the most often-painted building in America.” It is even listed on my atlas as motif one,which surprised me. It s very interesting to watch the fisherman stand in these little boats in the foreground to paddle out to their fishing boats in the morning. Super storm Sandy undermined one wall at the harbor but they escaped with much less damage than most. Our motel owner said the water came up to the ice machine there and the motel sits about 40 feet or more above the ocean and they stayed for the whole storm.
Window Shopping
I was pretty happy with my result on this image featuring an Antique store called the Moravian House in Lititz,Pa. The hardest aspect was getting the word antiques on the window to glow and stand out.The shop owners remembered me from the past and gladly left me inside to fire my flash out through the letters from behind. This can be a rather complicated process to get the look I want,and changing camera white balance and getting the flash at the right angle help me get the color the way I envision it.
A Zest For Small Town Life
This is the time of year I really enjoy shooting store windows in the town of Lititz ,Pa. Lititz has a small town feel that just takes you back to a bygone era,and the stores get all decked out for the coming holiday season,which makes for a delightful evening walk through town. My favorite time to take photos is right around dusk,just as the shops are closing for the day.The quiet of nightfall in this sleepy little town is only enhanced by music emanating from the town square and with a little imagination you feel as if you were just transported to a Charles Dickens novel.This pair of images are of a store called Zest,and the owners always do a stellar job of decorating the windows. Light shining out from the store illuminates the freshly fallen leaves as the cool blue of dusk begins to envelope the street. Many stores are beginning to transition to the Christmas season,so hopefully I will find some unique subjects to share.
Fall into Lititz
Lititz,Pa was voted as Americas coolest small town in a travel magazine contest this year and I thought I would share a few fall photos I took while visiting recently. If you get a chance,plan a trip to visit this quaint little town. These images are from the downtown shopping district and the community park.
Donald Reese Photography 