OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHER’S 2012 AMERICAN LANDSCAPE FINALIST

I’m very pleased to share with my friends that my image (below) was selected as one of thirty-four finalists in Outdoor Photographer Magazine’s 2012 American Landscape Photo Contest:

This image was made on an October morning while shooting on a fall foliage field trip, visiting a number of locations in southwest Vermont.  Our guide was the distinguished nature photographer, Joseph Rossbach, who is also a writer for Outdoor Photographer and other publications. 

The Chittenden Reservoir was our destination for both early morning and twilight views.  In addition to the reservoir there is an associated pond, Lefferts Pond.  The reservoir and the pond provided a number of beautiful locations and scenes, from the morning lifting of the night’s mists to the dewdrops on a spider web on a trail bridge, to the melancholy tones of twilight.  All were made more dramatic and appealing by the fall colors. 

This is one of my all-time favorite scenes.  It is one of moving simplicitly and serenity, contemplative, encouraging stillness and meditation.  The image is anchored by the subtle splash of color on the little island.  I think it’s saying “Pay no attention to the mists; life will be all right later.”

For this scene I tried a number of frames, some with a wider view, and some narrower, even down to the near shore pebbly bottom under cloud reflections.   Some other images from that field trip (including that dewy spider web)  can be seen by clicking here.   The reservoir and Leffert’s Pond can be seen on a map by clicking here.

The winners and other finalists of the 2012 American Landscape competition can be seen by clicking here.