A roadside stand in rural Lancaster county offers pumpkins,mums and other fall goodies for sale. I would have liked to see the orange mums a little more in bloom,but despite that minor issue,the shot turned out great in my opinion.
Scarecrows
A pair of scarecrows got my custom light painting treatment.
The Jenne Farm
This country scene is perhaps one of Vermont’s most photographed scenes and several times I have tried in vain to find it. I am not one that likes to duplicate something done over and over but this place was something I felt I wanted to shoot. When we found the dirt road, we came up the hill and saw several cars parked there to shoot it. As we were there,another five or six cars pulled in and those folks were from germany and japan,so everyone wants to shoot it. One older gentleman told us he has visited this spot for years and this year was the worst foliage he can remember.We were rather pleased with what was there because the color was way past peak in most of the region and fairly nice at this location. The Budweiser Clydesdales supposedly were brought here for a commercial in the past.
Weston Mill
This is an old mill I photographed in Weston Vermont on my fall foliage trip. Thankfully it was not overrun by tourists and we had the place all to ourselves. I shot it in sun about an hour before and thankfully my friend was patient enough to drop me off for another shot after sunset. The Vermont country store is a stones throw away,so my buddy went there to shoot while I was here. I took my hip waders along and without them,I never would have been able to access this vantage point. Crossing streams that are around a foot deep is always nerve-wracking when you are carrying your gear along.
Dawn at the Fishing Shack
This fishermans shack caught my eye with its nautical touches on the blue door along with the Rockport sign and lobster traps all ready to go. This was taken at dawn on the seacoast.
A Tragedy
This is an image I shot this summer at an Amish roadside stand and I just got to it this week. As I opened the image,I was suddenly reminded of a terrible tragedy that occurred in our county this past week.The flowers,numbering eight bouquets reminded me of seven children and a young wife who are without a father and husband after an accident at an Amish farm. The little sign was posted with the flowers at this stand. Anyone who follows my blog,knows I capture Amish life and this farm is in an area I often shoot,so my heart aches for the family,but I know their faith and close-knit ties will carry them through. A link to the story here.
Light Painting Example
This 4 shot series may help some grasp the whole light painting thing. The top image is my first basic shot, and then the second shot was me lighting the pumpkins to create an effect of being backlit by the barn lights, and then number three was shot only to light the corn shocks,and I also used that file to darken the lights under the barn,and number four is the result of those files. It does not matter one bit that I am in the shots,because I am only using the highlights from the flash. Key things are using a tripod for registration,wireless remote to fire the camera and the flash and a desire to have fun doing it. The flash shot layers are put on lighten mode in Photoshop and the only thing that shows through are things lighter in the shot,so you need to keep your ambient light below your base shot. good luck
Angels of Autumn
This monument caught my attention because of its intricate stone carving and the fallen leaves. I gave it two pops of the off camera flash to reveal its beauty.
Vermont Country Store
This little vignette of americana was captured at the Vermont Country Store on my fall foliage trip. I told my friend its somewhat ironic we came across this scene because I have contemplated getting an old pickup and loading it up exactly like this for a shot for the past couple years. I light painted this entire scene in the dark and even blasted a flash into the lantern on the wall to give it an illuminated effect.
Corner of the Avenues
This corner in mount auburn cemetery was covered in freshly fallen leaves,and the fence surrounding this plot featured ornate axes which stopped me in my tracks as I came upon it. Slightly foggy conditions and a fresh rain had everything saturated and glistening for a picture perfect moment. The cemetery uses street signs that have an appeal to them which adds to the unique feel you get here.
Milmore Sphynx
This sphinx is a bit out-of-place in a cemetery but it still is quite impressive and I shot this image in infrared. This is Martin Milmore’s Sphinx commissioned by Jacob Bigelow in commemoration of the preservation of the Union and the end of slavery. It sits facing the Bigelow chapel in mount auburn cemetery and was carved at this site from a single block of granite from Maine, it was completed in July 1872.
The inscription on the monument:
American Union preserved
African slavery destroyed
by the uprising of a great people
by the blood of fallen heroes
Beauty in a Window
As we drove down the street in Rockport Massachusetts, an art gallery caught my eye because of the warm light inside and the cool light of dusk outside. The owner was getting ready to close for the day so I was only able to get four exposures taken before the lights went out. The title of my image refers not only to the window overall but the lovely portrait showcased in the center. This is the gallery featuring the art of Luisa F.V. Cleaves, a contemporary artist and painter from this coastal town. Next time we pass this way, I will try to slow down and visit the many quaint shops in town. My friend says I get tunnel vision when I am photographing and I know this to be true, because when I was here 10 years ago with my wife, I never stopped to even realize they had shops. We got the absolute best croissants in this town from a place called Helmut’s Strudel shop. If you are ever in Rockport,take some time to visit this talented artists gallery and the many unique shops located along main street in town.
Stately Trees
Mount Auburn cemetery is as much a cemetery as it is a garden and park and this view down one of the avenues reflects its beauty. Graceful old trees and plantings are done in a way that inspire the visitor to linger and enjoy the scenery. Mount Auburn is considered the pioneer in garden cemeteries and inspirational views are around every corner. Fall color begins to emerge in this image captured under my umbrella in a rainy moment.
Bigelow Chapel
B
I just returned from a four-day trip to shoot fall foliage in new england and this is the first image I am sharing. The foliage was a disaster but my friend Morrie and I took a day to shoot in Mount Auburn cemetery in Massachusetts. The place did not disappoint and this image features the Bigelow Chapel,which is a centerpiece of the cemetery.Originally built in 1846 in a Gothic Revival style, Bigelow Chapel is a central structure illustrating the Mount Auburn Cemetery’s importance of linking a network of building landmarks to the landscape. The Chapel, constructed of Quincy granite, has served as a non sectarian chapel for funeral and memorial services. The building has had a full history of renovations, beginning with a complete dismantling and rebuilding just nine years following construction due to structural problems, a complete interior remodeling in 1923, and the addition of a crematory annex in 1970. The only regret I had was not being able to see the place lit inside to show off the stained glass. I light painted the scene with about ten pops of the flash. This cemetery is very large and well maintained,and while we were there a maintenance crew carefully raked the stone walkways free of debris,which surely must be done everyday in the fall. We were also told not to park on the grass at the road edge because they are very particular about keeping things perfect.
The Clarke Monument
Autumn Arrives
This small roadside stand is packed with a variety of items for decorating the home. From colorful mums, to gourds and pumpkins. to corn shocks, and even hay bales,there is something for every decor. My current favorite is the cinderella variety perched on the hay bales. Sitting in the lower left corner are apples and pears that have the most appealing scent.
Dawn At The Farm Stand
I actually got out of bed to shoot a local farm stand before sunrise. I had been counting on a colorful sunrise but never expected the sun to rise exactly in the spot it did and for a layer of fog to spice up the shot. The hardest part was trying to focus in the dark before hand.
Take Your Pick
This farm wagon is overflowing with a variety of unique pumpkins for fall decorating. From the green one that looks like an apple to the white ones devoid of color,there is one for every taste.They say this was a great year for pumpkins,so prices should stay very reasonable.
Down on The Farm
Another farm wagon loaded with seasonal goodies.
The Wagon
Soybean Harvest
I passed this field yesterday as they were harvesting soybeans and asked if I could climb on top of the tractor-trailer as it was being loaded. The machine that off loads to the truck, empties at an incredible rate and then heads to the combine in the field for the next load. The crew is what are referred to as custom harvesters,which are professional hired hands who earn their living helping farmers harvest their fields. This crew is Groffdale custom harvesters and they are the picture of efficiency. The owner of the farm is seen on his little John Deere tractor in the middle of the field as he oversees the operation.
Artistic Pumpkins
Stopped at a local produce auction to get a few shots and came across this pair of hand painted beauties. I was rather impressed with the time someone took to paint these and the pair sold for under thirty dollars,which was a deal in my opinion.
On Guard
Amish children play on the wagon carrying tobacco lathe sticks,while their parents are busy in the field. As with all children, mischief ensued and before you knew it, the sticks were being wielded as swords. All in good fun.
Fog Shrouded Valley
Fog creates layers in this farm scene as the rising sun begins to illuminate the day. A cold front moving in quickly on this morning eliminated this great fog in a matter of minutes,much to my chagrin.This was shot with a 400mm from across the valley.
Moss Covered Monument
Looking Back
Mom takes the boys for a ride out to the mailbox to retrieve the mail. The keen youngsters heard my car slow up and turned to see what the sound was. A long lens helped get the shot.
Busy Fields
An older Amish man heads back towards the barn while a young whipper snapper guides an empty wagon up the field.Notice the bare feet on the closer driver.
Foggy Cemetery
A foggy morning in a local cemetery provided an opportunity for me to try some light painting. Shooting my flash through the tree created rays of light in the atmospheric conditions.
Honest Days Work
This Amish family is hard at work on a warm september day harvesting their corn crop. One wagon moves along to catch the freshly cut stalks until it is full, and the next empty wagon is heading up the field to take its place when needed. This year has been a banner year for corn and fields will be a buzz with activity in the coming weeks.
Autumn Flowers Await
Each year around this time I find myself scanning the landscape for fall displays to photograph. I passed this farm stand on my travels and stopped to get permission to try a shot. The owner was more than willing to allow the endeavor and said to stop anytime. I decided to try a shot before sunrise this past weekend and assumed I would be there in the dark all by myself for a while, but to my surprise and delight,work was already under way in preparation for customers when I arrived. The owner was washing the driveway down,and to be honest I was originally going to crop the building on the right off my shot,but when the wet surface reflected the stand light,it seemed time to change my plan. So with sunrise still an hour away,I began to compose and fine tune things before the light got good.
The gorgeous sky lit up first and lasted maybe 5 minutes,but that was more than enough time to capture it and the expanse of mums that stretch toward the barn. While I was waiting for the light to begin shooting, the owner pulled up with a large produce wagon pulled by two horses and he backed that wagon into the second door as easily as driving a car,which really impressed me. Between the sky,the reflection, and the mums,I was very happy with my result. The bottom image is the angle I originally wanted to shoot for comparison and you can see the horse and wagon sitting in the field on the left.
Donald Reese Photography 