| | Things change. Sometimes for the better but not always. It is a part of life. Covid has caused major changes in many lives and I’ve been lucky. While it destroyed my travel workshop business, it helped me see other opportunities. We have sold our NJ house and now are permanent Vermont residents. We still have an NJ apartment so we haven’t completely cut the cord, I’ll still do NJ and NYC workshops when it is sensible to put 12 people in a van. But I’m loving the Vermont lifestyle and the gallery I opened in Woodstock a year ago is doing great, way beyond expectations.
I just got back from my summer Iceland workshop and it was wonderful getting out with other photographers. Interestingly three people on the trip had lost a spouse in the last year or so. I learned a lot from them about pressing on when things change and being resilient. I know all of them had their moments during the trip when the thought of their partner was overwhelming, but they pushed through it and I admire that. I look back occasionally at a video session I hosted last year featuring Beth Payne talking about using photography to help with being resilient. Beth was in Cuba with me when Trump declared the national emergency due to Covid and it was a scary time not knowing how the Cuban government was going to react. Beth is retired from the U.S. State Department and was in touch with contacts in Havana, which helped with knowing what was going on. In her video she talks about knowing what we can control, influence or accept. That really helps with being resilient because as we know, things change. |
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Chasing a volcano
I’m fascinated by major natural events and a flowing volcano is something I’ve been wanting to experience for a long time. I’ve seen smoke coming out of volcanos in Chile, Guatemala and Hawaii but I was never there to see the lava running down the mountain. When a new volcano erupted in Iceland early this year I was torn whether to make a mad dash to see it or wait until my planned August trip. Covid and other things got in the way so I waited. I’ve been watching live cameras and talking to friends who are there or visited and saw the volcanic activity diminish all summer. The week before my trip the volcano went dormant and I was feeling rather sad. I had planned on arriving a day early to get out there and talked a couple of people into joining me, Sarah McGarghan, who plans my trips to Cuba, Vietnam and Peru, and my brother Lou. As we were driving we could see the volcano spurting miles away. We drove over to a parking area and talked to a park ranger who said the activity was happening in 12 hour cycles and it was nearly peak. I had wanted to go in the evening to make the best photos but now was the time to be there so we spent the next five hours hiking and gawking. It wasn’t as great as it was earlier in the year but it was still magnificent. I hope to do a mad dash in early November and see if I can get the volcano and Aurora together. It will take a lot of luck! |
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Great time in Iceland
Iceland never fails to amaze. Like I mentioned above, I just got back last week after another exciting trip. The group was great and we had lots of laughs while making special photos. I was surprised to see how many things changed there since my last visit early last year. You can read more about the trip on my blog. |
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Peru and Vietnam next year
The pandemic postponed a couple of trips I am really looking forward to: Vietnam in March and Peru in November. Both places have special qualities that make for great photos and we have top notch local guides taking us to popular places and special spots for photography. We’re keeping a close eye on the situation in both countries and we won’t go if it isn’t safe, but I’m confident the conditions will be right. There are still a few openings. |
| | Heading to Maryland for eagles
I get a big thrill seeing a bald eagle and it is even more fun to be able to photograph one up close. There’s a special place in Maryland where they congregate at the start of winter and I’ve counted over 150 eagles there. I’m doing a two day workshop Dec. 5&6 there and we’ll photograph them as often as we can. It is on a Monday and Tuesday to avoid the crowds of people but hopefully there will be crowds of eagles.
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| | Think winter
Yea, it is still August but I already have winter on my mind. Which of course means my Vermont Winter Wonderland Workshop Jan. 21-23. I love the beauty winter brings and even though it isn’t as much fun shooting in the cold as it is a nice warm summer day, I’ll show you how to stay warm and experience winter in a different way.
Winter is also a great time to go to Iceland, so another workshop there Feb. 7-13. Unbelievably, at that time of year it is usually warmer in Iceland than Vermont or even New York City. We will be chasing the Northern Lights and go into an amazing ice cave or two. I love the Aurora but being in a cave carved out of the glacier is a special experience. We’ll go to other unique locations that only Iceland provides.
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| | Summer of stars
I have four Vermont Night Skies and Light Painting workshops planned for next summer. There is something special about being out in the dark, seeing all the stars and making pictures of the Milky Way. The sessions are May 28-31, June 25-28, July 28-31 and Aug. 25-28. We will go to the same locations for the May and July workshops and the June and August sessions will be identical locations but not the same places that we’ll go in May and July. All the workshops will be based at my Woodstock, VT, gallery and while we stay out pretty late, it is invigorating. These workshops will fill up fast, so make your plans now.
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| | Get updated on Loren's newest workshops and seminars You can now get a notice when Loren adds a new workshop, seminar or tour to his website. Click here and go down to Workshop Notifications
Visit my gallery If you are in Vermont visit my Focus Gallery at 1 The Green, Woodstock, VT.
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