ASK ARNOLD

Discussions on Equipment, Locations and Tips for getting the photographs you want of Vermont scenes.Note: You must be registered in order to post. If you have trouble registering, use the contact us form on Scenes of Vermont's home page.

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Andy
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ASK ARNOLD

Post: # 8363Post Andy
Wed Jun 17, 2009 8:33 pm

Arnold John Kaplan, the author of "How To Find (and photograph) The Photo-Scenics In Vermont, has joined the SOV Forums and will be posting one of his iconic Vermont Photos each month, along with excerpts from the book's narrative on each location. We hope you will visit the "sticky" thread and comment and ask Arnold your questions. The first monthly photo went up today. There is also an Arnold John Kaplan Gallery of these photos on Foliage Vermont.
Last edited by Andy on Mon Nov 01, 2010 11:07 am, edited 2 times in total.
Andy

If it sounds too good to be true, its probably . . . .


arnieyoina
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Happy and honored to be a member of SOV

Post: # 8405Post arnieyoina
Mon Jun 22, 2009 12:08 pm

Hi fellow photographers. I have been photographing the famous photo scenes in Vermont for over 60 years. I know that many camera club photographers say that Vermont is "Old Hat", but when I visited the Jenne Farm at 7:00am in October 2008, there were over 40 photographers all lined up with their cameras on tripods waiting for the sun to rise for that :Old Hat" photo of the most photographed farm in the world. If Vermont is "Old Hat" why do photographers come from all over the USA and Overseas to capture the wonderful fall foliage scenes over and over again? Because you never get the same pictures each year. Each year every photo-scenic is different from the last year due to weather condition and foliage. It took me over 30 year of shooting the famous scenes to get the "perfect" shot of the Jenne Farm, in the autumn and winter. I hope I see you in Vermont in October.

Arnold John Kaplan
Author of the Vermont Photo Guide Book, "How To Find and Photograph The Photo-Scenics In Vermont"

Andy
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Are You Ready For Vermont Fall Foliage Photography?

Post: # 8828Post Andy
Sun Aug 30, 2009 10:08 am

In conjunction with Arnold John Kaplan's September Monthly Photograph of , THE JENNE FARM, Arnold has asked me to post some of his advice on Photographing Scenic Vermont:

©2008 by Arnold John Kaplan, APSA-AFIAP

Photographing in Vermont can be tricky in order to get wall hanging, saleable or prize-winning images. There are a lot of small things that you have to look out for or they will spoil your photograph.

In the pre-digital era when photographing in the colorful autumn, one had to check the trees in the scene to make sure that none of them were bare of leaves as that naked tree could spoil the shot. You also had to watch out for telephone or electrical wires in the sky area and tried to hide them in the trees by selecting a different angle. Today these type of scenes can be taken and the necessary corrections can be made in the computer with photo editing software. Leaves can be added to bare trees and wires in the sky can be taken out. Even telephone poles can be eliminated.

Another hint for better pictures when you are shooting a colorful Fall scene, with a dirt road, be sure that there are some colorful fallen leaves on the foreground of the road, even if you have the gather up some leaves and spread them around on the road, it will improve the photo 100%.

Many Vermont photographers carry a 4 or 6-foot folding ladder in their vehicle so they can get up higher for better composition. They may even have a monopod welded to the top of the ladder for their camera.

Don’t forget to take along a polarizing filter to bring out the color in the foliage and darken the sky area. A good combination of filters for film transparencies, are the polarizing filter and an 81A filter. This combination warms and enhances the color of the scene. Digital camera users can use their white balance according to the daylight conditions.

When shooting in the winter, with snow on the ground there are several things to watch out for. Carry a shovel with you for two reasons. One, in case you get stuck in the snow. The second has to do with improving the scene. A snow scene, with a road in it, should have the road covered with snow. Most times they are, but some have bare spots. Now you can cover those bare spots by shoveling snow on them or use the easier way and clone some snow on the bare spots in your computer.

Also snow scenes need tree branches with snow on them, also roof tops of barns and houses need snow on them to make a perfect winter snow image. Best to shoot snow scenes in Vermont right after a snowstorm. However, again, you can add snow to roofs and branches in your computer with a cloning tool.

You have to be very careful on all the roads in Vermont. There are deep gullies at the edge of the road to handle the water run off from the hills and fields. In the autumn, tall grass will hide the gullies and in the winter the snow covers them.

Even though this is the day of the “Cell” phone, it is best to use the “buddy” system when traveling around the back roads in Vermont. The buddy system means having another car with you. In case of a breakdown they can go for help. In the wintertime you can get stuck in the snow, this is where that shovel may help, if not, flag down the first car that passes and ask them to get help. Many times the first vehicle will be a four-wheel drive truck and they will pull you out. If no one comes by you will have to walk to the nearest farm or house to get help.

Be sure to pack a lunch or have food and water available as you may be miles away from any eating facilities when you are photographing in the back-country of Vermont. A first aid kit and your medication should be brought along with you. Clothing is another problem. In the Fall of the year the weather in Vermont can go from hot to cold in one day, so you have to plan on taking layers of clothes. Early mornings it can be very cold and you will have to dress warmly, but by noon time and the rest of the afternoon it can be in the high 70’s and you will have to peel off some of those layers of clothes.

Wintertime presents other problems for clothing and equipment. Mornings can be as low as 10 below zero when your out shooting a scene to catch the beautiful early morning light and you must dress for it or you will be very uncomfortable standing around in the cold, waiting for the sunrise and morning light. Also, your camera may have to be protected from the cold. Don’t put it on a tripod and let it stand around for 20 or 30 minutes in the cold while you wait for the best lighting conditions as you may find that the shutter froze up. Best to set the scene and keep you camera in your warm car on under your coat and then set it up 5 minutes before the special lighting appears.

Make your motel reservation in early summer for a Fall trip to Vermont as sightseers, bow hunters, football fans, artists and photographers book them up early. Also, bring along twice as many digital storage cards as you think you will need. If you are still shooting film bring plenty, as the local stores will be cleaned out of film as soon as the first leaf turns color.

Make sure you take all your discarded lunch wrappers, digital storage card and film boxes back to motel with you. Don’t throw them away at the photo-scenic, as you will be littering up the scene. If you have to cross private property to take your picture it is best to ask permission from the farmer or homeowner, not to do so you may find an angry dog charging at you. A word about dogs in Vermont. Never assume that they are friendly as they are usually guard dogs for the protection of the property.

So, think before you shoot and you will come home with those prize photographs.


Arnold is a member here. Say hi to him, and give him a shout. At 93 years young, he is still an active photographer with many projects, but I'll bet he'll find some time to respond here.
Andy

If it sounds too good to be true, its probably . . . .

Andy
Posts: 1562
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2005 12:01 am
Location: Saginaw, Michigan
Contact:

Post: # 8946Post Andy
Sun Sep 06, 2009 8:30 am

mm: My "Yellow Book" became dog-eared, stained, highlighted, etc. I recently re-purchased it from Arnold. It is the same book, but it now ships with a addendum page that gives some new locations, and a DVD that has arnolds photos of each place on it, so you not only get the directions and tips, but now can see the scenes. I believe the price is the same as it was years back.
Andy

If it sounds too good to be true, its probably . . . .


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