You just have to love the brilliant greens of spring … too bad they are so short-lived. Going north to the Catskills in the spring helps to extend the bright colors for me. There, spring is usually 2 weeks behind the warming and progression at home. Everything seemed especially green this year … maybe it was all the rain or maybe we hit it just right. And yes, it really was that green!
Spring waterfalls are surely one of Mother Nature’s beautiful gifts. Leading photo weekends in the Catskills of New York State, I’ve spent a lot of time shooting them. The first waterfall in this series however, was shot in the Delaware Water Gap area of Pennsylvania, in early spring. I had been there before but bright sun made getting a good image impossible. This time the sky was overcast so I headed straight to this spot when we arrived and the lighting worked out much better. The remaining images, from the Catskills display this year’s abundant spring rain. I had never seen these falls carry such a huge amount of water before and can still hear the roar when I look at the photos. Waterfalls are ever-changing wonders and it’s fun to see how different they can look with each visit!
Part V – Day Four
On our last full day in the Adirondacks we were greeted with a dramatic light show. The fog and colors of sunrise changed quickly from one moment to the next keeping our shutters busy. Whiteface Mountain was exposed only for a short time before it was blanketed by the fog rolling across the lake. After breakfast we visited our barn again to capture it in the cloudy, diffused light we were presented with on this day. On our way to the Tupper Lake area we went to a spot where we could see what is referred to as the ‘high peaks’. Along our travels we stopped at a swamp that caught our eye before coming to a spot where some kayakers were setting off for an adventure all their own. Tupper Lake was outlined with vibrant autumn color and the ‘little island’ pictured below was a highlight for all. It started to rain and I was having trouble keeping my eyes open while my friend shuttled us back to our hotel in the dreary weather. That night we had one last dinner together before heading home the next morning. Looking back it seemed like a long time ago that we had started our adventure in Schroon Lake, even though it had only been a few days.
Scroll down to see the previous post from day three.
Part IV – Day Three Continued
In addition to the spots in my previous post, we visited some barns, a waterfall flume and the top of Whiteface Mountain on our third full day. On our way out of town that morning we went back to a barn we had seen the previous afternoon. Then after shooting at Connery Pond we stopped at a waterfall flume where the Ausable River rushed through steep canyon walls. Finding a good vantage point was challenging (and a little dangerous). From there we went to Jay Bridge and on the way back explored a group of abandoned barns before stopping for lunch. After eating and resting we headed up to Whiteface where we enjoyed a 50 mile visibility view. The haze in the distance proved to be a little challenging in processing the images. I hope you can get a sense of the view. Our trip was two half (travel) days and and four full days and I was feeling the impending end to our Adirondack Adventure as I snapped my last shot of the day. The next day would be our last full day before heading home.
Scroll down to see the previous post from day three.
Interlude
While processing my images from the Adirondacks is taking some time … please enjoy this interlude of peak autumn color. These were shot on the 3rd full day of the trip and just seemed to go together because of the colors. The mountain across Connery Pond in the first two images is Whiteface Mountain, the tallest mountain in the ‘high peaks’. Images from the top of the Whiteface and some other spots we visited that day will be highlighted in my next post.
Scroll down to see Parts III, II & I of my Adirondack Adventure.
Part III – Between Schroon Lake & Lake Placid
Our first full day in the Adirondacks was spent around the Schroon Lake area. We woke before sunrise and just as our B&B host had warned us, it was foggy (before we explained to her that we ‘like’ fog). On this particular morning it was so thick it concealed any hint of color a sunrise might bring to the small beach area we visited. I was thankful for the blue boat on the beach providing a center of interest against the moody fog. At a nearby park and boat landing I searched for something that interested me and found some spider webs with droplets clinging to them. It was quite windy so I boosted my ISO, shutter speed and patience and got some images that are pretty sharp. After a wonderful breakfast back at the B&B, the fog lifted and we were greeted by bright autumn sunlight. We meandered on some roads recommended by our host and made images that were all about bright autumn colors. That night the sunset was a cloudless disappointment so we stayed at our location on the shores of Paradox Lake to watch twilight and the stars appear. I was able to capture some stars before the colors of sunset disappeared.
The next morning we went to the other side of Paradox Lake for sunrise. It was a beautiful spot and we had it all to ourselves. After the sun lifted above the trees it lit the opposing bank in a colorful autumn display. And, of course along our travels stopping at any and all deteriorating buildings was a must. After another wonderful breakfast we headed to our next destination, Lake Placid, where we would stay for the next 3 nights. We stopped at a beautiful waterfall that was right beside the road and got dangerously close to the edge to frame our compositions. Along the way my friend spotted an old barn that was positioned in the perfect setting. It was a popular spot and we took our time to shoot every angle possible! We scouted around the Lake Placid area the rest of the day, rested back at the hotel and after dinner went out for a fun, night photography session!
Scroll down for Parts II & I.
Part I – Introduction
I’m just back from an awesome photography trip in one of my favorite places, the Adirondacks. I shared the adventure with friends and we were blessed with a good percentage of great weather and brilliant fall color. We had a lot of fun finding landscapes and interesting buildings along our way. There are many lakes in the Adirondacks and I just love photographing beside the water. And the mountains are tremendous! We visited the top of White Face Mountain for a 50 mile visibility view, with Lake Champlain and Vermont in the distance. There were sunset and sunrise opportunities and attempts leaving us exhausted, especially when coupled with night photography on two occasions. Here is the first image from the Lake Placid area.
Stay tuned for more Adirondacks photography in the weeks ahead.
Looking back through my image folders from the Catskills I figured out that the recent spring Catskills Photographer’s Weekend was my 12th visit. When my friend, Rich became the owner of the Glen Falls House Resort in Round Top, NY years ago I had the idea for the photography weekends, and began recruiting my fellow photographers to participate. The first weekend was in the winter of 2009 and it was led by two photographer’s who live in the Catskills. I had met one of them, Ron while on a trip in Acadia, Maine. The other was a locally known Catskill photographer, Francis Driscoll, who was recommended by Ron. After that first photographer’s weekend Francis led the next couple of tours before I started leading them in 2010.
The Glen Falls House has become a sort of ‘home away from home’ and I very much enjoy my visits. I usually go up a day ahead in order to scout for new locations as well as check on known locations. I have met several kind property owners in order to get permission and my friend tells me I am ‘practically a local’. Each visit is a challenge for me to make images that are different (and better) from previous trips and a chance to capture the same scenes in different light and conditions. I welcome the challenge and look forward to future visits.
Here are some favorites from the spring trip.
My annual ‘Spring Catskills Photographers Weekend & Tour’ went quite well. I was thrilled to see that spring in the Catskills was late and a few weeks behind the fleeting spring colors at home. There were just 4 of us scouting for the weekend tour and we stopped along this meadow. This spot is a favorite of mine because you get a great morning view of some of the higher peaks in the Catskills. The gracious woman who owns the property came out to meet us and gave us permission to photograph. We had always shot it from the road before. It was a wonderful morning and I fell in love with the scene. The tree-stripes on the mountains and the bright spring colors struck me as something special. I sat beneath this tree and took my time to adjust my tripod then compose, expose and focus very carefully. This meant I didn’t have to crop later and made full use of my camera’s capability, offering the best detail and quality. I was taught to always do your best to compose in the camera and recommend it whenever possible. Here is my favorite from our weekend, composed in-camera to avoid sacrificing valuable pixels.
Having been to the Catskills to lead Photo Weekends so often, it is challenging to find something new each time. On this most recent trip I had two of my friends ride up with me, a day early to scout for the weekend tour. The company made it all the more enjoyable and we stopped in Highlands to walk across the Hudson and 1.3 mile bridge to Poughkeepsie. The mid-day sun didn’t make for very good photos but I managed one image, full of specular highlights that I enjoy. We stopped at the Esopus Lighthouse on the Hudson and the late-day sun was in the right position to ‘light up’ the lighthouse. The next morning it was raining so after breakfast at the diner we decided to take the tour of Olana … something we had never put down our cameras down to do. It was well worth it and afterwards the rain stopped and the clearing sky added some cloud interest to the estate. Cranes and scaffolding surrounded the mansion for repainting, so we ventured down to the barn and lake. Our Saturday morning spots included Bastion Falls, which you must get to first before the mobs. Then at the top of Kaaterskill Falls we could look down at the edge and see the tiny trail below. Our last stops before lunch included a picturesque stone church and Mountaintop Arboretum. In the afternoon we visited the Roaring Kill Bridge cascade area where I enjoyed looking for reflections with fall color, upstream from my usual spot. We stopped at the ever-popular and spooky, Cold Springs Inn before it became overcast and our light for the day faded. On Sunday morning it was raining lightly and we went to a nearby waterfall, a mountain lake, a great red barn and Ice Box Falls which is a short walk behind the Glen Falls House Resort. I thought that the autumn scene at the falls was especially nice and a perfect way to end the tour.
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