Please Help - Specific Photography Situation

[Florindo]

Greetings:

I'm a new member to the forum, but I've been lurking about for a while... I used the search function for an answer to this question but did not find one. I am coming to Vermont this weekend (Oct. 11) on a quick photography shoot, and I am looking for a specific scene to shoot. I am looking for a lake or large pond with *still* water, trees along the edge (preferably changing color), that are reflected in the water. Here is a link (my Web gallery) to a picture similar to the one I hope to shoot. (If linking is not allowed, I apologize! I'm new.)

http://www.pbase.com/image/20869487

Mountains in the background would definitely be a plus! If anyone knows of such a place, please let me know. I'd like to shoot the scene either at sunrise or sunset this Saturday. Many thanks in advance.

Florindo

[ixl]

What part of Vermont? --c

[pwt54]

Judging from your photo, it looks like you need a small sheltered pond with hills,foliage and no camps. There are 2 that come to mind with short hikes to them. Sterling Pond off the Long Trail near Smuggler's Notch. Take route 108 to the top of Smuggler's Notch and take the Long Trail north a couple of miles. You'll see the pond on your right. The other is Kettle Pond off route 232 in the Groton State Forest. There is a parking lot for it but it isn't marked. You may want to check at the ranger station. They should have a map. You could also take the Owl's Head Mtn. Road to the parking pot and hike the 0.2 of a mile to the top and see what if there is a photo possibility there. The third is the Green River Reservoir in Hyde Park. Take the Garfield Road just east of the junction of route 15 and 15A in Morrisville. Take that road to the end and turn right, go 200 feet and turn left on the reservoir road. There are trails around there.There is a small shed with a signin sheet. Check for a map there. On route 118 there is Belvidere/Long Pond. It's right next to the road. If the wind is right it has very good possibilities. It has 3 low hills in the background that are very colorful. There are other possibilties in southern Vermont, but I can't get down there to explore as often as I like so I can't really help. Hopefully someone down ther can help.

[Florindo]

Thanks to both ixl and pwt54 (I'll learn your names, I promise!) for the reponses. I'll take the advice and go to those places you mentioned.

I'm not restricted to just that kind of shot, but I'm sort of commissioned to get that shot for someone. I'll keep my eyes open for other scenes and report back what I find.

Florindo

[ixl]

Florindo: I can recommend some good places in southern VT if you want. I just didn't want to bother if it turned out you weren't going to be in this area, as describing them properly will take some effort. Can you tell us where in the state you plan to be? Charles

[Florindo]

Sorry, Charles, I got swamped today at work.

I have no set place to be in Vermont. I'm going up there to drive the entire state if I have to in search of that shot! Since I'm leaning toward snow-capped mountain shots, I may go north, but I'm certainly willing to go to the south.

Thanks very much for your help. I do appreciate it.

Florindo

[ixl]

Hey Florindo,

First, I could be mistaken, but at least here in the south we only got a touch of snow a week ago. Even up north it has been fairly warm for many days so I am not sure if there is really any snow left. Maybe one of the "northerners" can answer that.

Okay I have a few ideas for you in the south of the state, and they are fairly close to each other and easy to access.

I assume you are coming from New Jersey, since your profile says you are from there. Get yerself to Albany, then take NY7 east through Troy towards Vermont. When you cross the state line it becomes VT9, take it east through Bennington. After you pass through Bennington (where the color is just starting) you will start to climb up into the Greens. At the top of the mountain you will be in Woodford, VT.

I've never given directions here so these may not be perfect... keep driving on route 9. After a few miles, you will see on the left side a small lake called I believe Woodford Lake (imagine that). It has a lot of cottages on it and I am not sure if there is any public access, but it is very peaceful and still, and you can see it from the road.

If you keep going on route 9, you will see on the right side a small pond that has a tiny island on it with a picturesque log cabin. You might be able to get the shot you want right from the road. However, the trees, if I recall correctly, are mostly pines in that particular spot.

If you keep going you will eventually hit the town of Searsburg. Keep going and you will descend into the Deerfield (Mt. Snow) Valley. You will go down a steep incline with two runaway truck ramps. At the very bottom of that hill, on the left side, is Somerset Road, which is not marked. Turn left on it. (If you get to construction on route 9 where they are building new bridges, you went too far.)

Follow that road for about a mile and you will find next to the road a small reservoir, with a white dam house. The Searsburg Reservoir is accessible at multiple places around its perimeter and is generally quiet, and there are no buildings aside from the dam house. Best time is probably late afternoon if you want most of it illuminated, but the water will be more still in the morning.

Bear in mind that morning fog on bodies of water is a given around here this time of year, especially with a relatively warm air mass in place. If you don't want the fog go in the afternoon, but there will be more ripples.

Here's a shot I took well after sunset at the Searsburg Reservoir last night. This is a 10 second exposure heavily level-adjusted in Photoshop, but should give you an idea:

<img src="http://www.pcguide.com/pers/sbres031009.jpg" alt=" - " />

I think that should suit your needs well. If you keep going on route 9 you will come into Wilmington, there are more lakes around.

Good luck, and please post a link so we can see what you end up taking!

Charles

[pwt54]

Best colors this weekend will be north of route US 2 and east of Route 108. All the lakes and ponds I mentioned are in this zone. I was up to Belvidere pond yesterday to check things out before I went to work (got the night shift this week). Unfortunatly the wind was in the one wrong direction, so the main part was a little rough. Colors were good and the west end was calm. Best time for shots might be 6 PM or early morning. Best route to do the whole State is route 100. There are a series of small lakes between Ludlow and Bridgewater that might have possibilities. Colors should be coming along. I hesitate to mention Lake Willoughby in the Northeast. It is seldom calm. Right now I would probably look to Sterling Pond, Kettle Pond, and Green River reservoir. Finding a room up here may be very hard. With the foliage peaking and our local colleges having their home coming festivals there will be few if any rooms. You may have to look from the Rutland/Killington area south OR bring some good camping gear and try one of our private or State campgrounds.

[pwt54]

How the heck did you get that photo in here?

[ixl]

pwt: When you are composing a reply, look for the "IMAGE" button below the edit box, click it. That's it.

BTW... would you consider the picture I posted to be "peak", "past peak", "pre-peak", what? --c

[poosmoo]

ixl...the direction you mentioned above....how long will it take to do all that??...i'll be spending a day in southern vermont on nov 2...got any ideas???

[pwt54]

Well, there's the problem. He made it too easy. It's hard to tell from your photo, but it looks to be pre-peak by just a few days. I'm going to try to attach a photo I took of Belvidere Pond yesterday at about 1:30 pm. I didn't have time to play around for the "perfect shot" because I was running late for work.
[img]C:\WINDOWS\Desktop\long%20pond[/img]

[pwt54]

Oops did work. I'll try later.

[ixl]

pwt: Some forums allow you to attach a file from a local hard drive but this one doesn't. You have to upload it somewhere on the web and then put the web URL in the IMG tags. That's what I did.

poosmoos: By November 2 there will be nothing left in the higher elevations, so my directions won't matter. What foliage is left will be in the "banana belt", meaning the valleys of the two towns in the lower corners: Bennington and Brattleboro. You are fortunate that things are late this year, normally even they are bare by November 2.

For anyone else interested, the drive from Bennington to the Searsburg Reservoir is about 30 minutes in ideal conditions, assuming no stops.

Charles

[Florindo]

WOW! Charles! That's a great shot! That's exactly what I'm looking for, and sometime tomorrow (Saturday) I will be there. Incredible scene!

Thanks very much to all who responded. I cannot wait to get there!

Florindo