Hello,

I’m excited for our photo adventure in Vermont. We’re in the midst of the worst drought Vermont has seen in a long time. Nobody knows how that will affect the color but leaves are starting to turn in some areas, it is at least a week early but we should be in good shape!

We will be in several different environments, so we need to be prepared. We will be walking around towns, in some grassy fields and a little bit in the woods. We won’t be doing a good deal of hiking, we’ll park close to where we need to be. At most, we’ll hike ½ mile. So bring shoes for walking and be prepared for walking in wet morning fields and in the woods, your shoes will get wet, if they aren’t waterproof you’ll have wet toes. If you have comfortable hiking boots, that will work best.  I recommend clothing that does not absorb moisture and dries quickly. Polyester layers do that very well. Cotton takes a long time to dry out so I don’t recommend wearing much cotton. Active running/workout clothing can be layered to keep you warm and dry as well.

The weather can be anything from cold to rather warm, it is usually chilly in the morning and may warm up in the afternoon, so bring layers. Hopefully, there won’t be rain, but if it does there are still great photos to be had, so bring a raincoat for yourself and your camera. I tend to work in the rain with a large golf umbrella, I’ll show you how that works but be prepared for what works for you. I have plenty of large umbrellas, so if it isn’t easy, don’t bother trying to pack one.

Bring all your camera gear. If you have it, bring it. We’ll be in situations where you will want your wide-angle lens and then your telephoto. If you have a macro, you will find that useful. Remember that it isn’t the equipment that makes good photos, it is the person. So if you don’t have a lot of gear, that is fine. I’m a big believer in a sturdy tripod, we’ll talk about why I use one for every shot. If you don’t like to travel with a tripod, I have several that I rent, let me know in advance if you are interested.

I also suggest having a remote shutter cable, a wired one is better than wireless. The only fancy filter I suggest is a polarizer, it can really make the color in the leaves come out. Make sure you have plenty of memory cards, we won’t be near any place where you can buy more. And have spare batteries for your camera and be sure to bring your charger.

You may want to bring your laptop computer if you have one, you’ll have time to download your photos. 

Check the weather report for Woodstock, Vermont – we could have gorgeous, warm sunny days or chilly, damp, windy days. It may start out cold and then warm up and then cool down so the layering really helps. To make it more enjoyable experience I recommend the following:

  • Wool socks - it can be quite chilly in the mornings and evenings

  • Boots that will keep your feet warm and dry in the morning dew and nighttime air

   • I use waterproof Gore-Tex hiking boots

   • Sneakers will get wet, so if that is what you are using, bring extra pairs of wool socks to change into and extra shoes

  • Sandals are not appropriate - we will be doing some walking on paths in the woods and be out in fields

  • Pants – Wicking pants with the zip off legs work great but blue jeans or Carhartt pants will also work but will be cold if wet

  • Base Layer -  wicking short sleeve shirt or long sleeve zip turtleneck

  • Mid Layer - Polyester fleece layer

  • Outer Layer – Windproof and waterproof rain jacket and pants to use if it’s chilly or if it’s raining

  • Fleece or light weight wool hat

  • Baseball cap - great if it is misting or sunny

  • Glove liners work great for chilly mornings - thin enough to still be able to work all your dials

  • Sunglasses

  • Snacks – we leave early each morning and breakfast will be a couple hours after shooting so bring your own snacks

  • Daypack

What I really want you to be prepared for is to be ready to think about taking pictures a bit differently. Once you have the technical basics down, getting to the next step is about how you think about what you are shooting. I’ll be challenging you, asking why you are doing what you’re doing, not in a judgemental way, but I want you to be intentional in your shooting. It is a fun exercise and you’ll be amazed at the results.

If you want to track the colors, you can go to Vermont’s official foliage watch at http://www.vermont.com/foliage.cfm. Woodstock is about ⅓ of the way up from the bottom of the map on the right. 

We’ll gather at my art gallery, Focus, at 23 Elm St., in the heart of Woodstock. There is parking on the street.

You can reach my cell phone at 802-457-7327.

This is going to be a fun workshop and I look forward to seeing you in Vermont.

Loren