From: Light, To: Dark: A Fresh View of VT Swimming Holes

Date(s) Hiked: June, July, August 2010

Trails(s) Hiked: Many herdpaths through Vermont to waterfalls and swimming holes.

Total Distance: Many miles, but never many at once...

Difficulty: Most are easy, but all require some delicate scrambling at the actual swimming holes.

Conditions: Wet and cold in the water! Varied out...

Special Required Equipment: a dozen or so pounds of camera gear!

Trip Report:

Hi all. I have to admit, I haven't been spending much time on any of the ski/mtn forums this summer, but as summer fades to winter (and snow is forecast to maybe fall soon) I'm starting to spend more time around here.

In any case, thought some of you might be interested in a little summer photography project I set up for myself to learn more about my camera, and get ready for another winter of schussing and shooting chutes. The basic idea was developed by Grant Gunderson in his famous Star Trails over LCC shot on the cover of skiing a few years ago. I just took a 90 degree turn from his idea, and applied it to summer action/scenery:


Anyway we spent plenty of time hiking to get ourselves to these locations, so I figure it does actually belong in this forum... I think it just fits here in a different way than usual. Regardless, it was a fun project to kill time over the summer, learn a new aspect of photography, and have a LOT of fun.


If you're interested in these shots, click either of the above pictures to read a bit more about them, and see a BUNCH more from my portfolio of the project. Hope you enjoy and Pray for SNOW!! If anyone is interested in specifics about the locations, feel free to PM me. As some of you know, I'm not a big fan of posting locations for google to index, but I'm happy to help community members find their way into an adventure!

Some really cool pics there Greg! What a modern camera can do is amazing, and its also a pretty cool thing to open up ones mind and think about what the modern camera from say 10 years from now will be able to do!

drjeff said:

Some really cool pics there Greg! What a modern camera can do is amazing, and its also a pretty cool thing to open up ones mind and think about what the modern camera from say 10 years from now will be able to do!

Click to expand...

Thanks Jeff! The really interesting thing IMO (and sorry to contradict you) is that there really is no reason this couldn't be done with film. The principles of this type of photography do not in any way disqualify traditional non-D(igital) SLR cameras from the game. The only "tricks" were careful calculation of the three basic variables of photography--aperture, ISO, and shutter speed--and the timely and appropriately metered introduction of a strobe (flash) to the scene. These are all variables that can be adjusted/introduced on any non-D SLR camera.

That said, while in theory the shot is possible on film, in practice it would of course be quite a bit more difficult with film. The modern DSLR allows one to review shots so quickly for exposure/composition, that it really facilitates a much sharper learning curve to producing shots like this... although now that I really think about it... I see no reason why a dutiful photographer working with film would have any trouble with these shots... it's just like all photography: practice, think, practice, think, practice....

gpetrics said:

Thanks Jeff! The really interesting thing IMO (and sorry to contradict you) is that there really is no reason this couldn't be done with film. The principles of this type of photography do not in any way disqualify traditional non-D(igital) SLR cameras from the game. The only "tricks" were careful calculation of the three basic variables of photography--aperture, ISO, and shutter speed--and the timely and appropriately metered introduction of a strobe (flash) to the scene.

That said, while in theory the shot is possible on film, in practice it would of course be quite a bit more difficult with film. The modern DSLR allows one to review shots so quickly for exposure/composition, that it really facilitates a much sharper learning curve to producing shots like this... although now that I really think about it... I see no reason why a dutiful photographer working with film would have any trouble with these shots... it's just like all photography: practice, think, practice, think, practice....

Click to expand...

Agree, but there is no doubt that experimenting with one's digital camera with a big gig media card has a much more cost effective "leanring curve" then with what used to be a $5 to $10 dollar 24-36 exposure roll of Kodacrome film! I know personally that I'm getting more of what I consider to be "good" photos thee days then I was 10 years ago, and while I'd like to say with 100% certainty that it's because I'm much better behind the lense now then I was back then, I know the reality is that a decent portion of it is attributed to the simple fact that I take alot more pictures now without any reguard for the time and expense of processing the film. And it's the fact that there so many more that are't afraid these days to try and take a bunch of pictures that is getting more and more of us to take some chances and really learn what both our cameras can do, and what our creative brains can dream up for our cameras to do

drjeff said:

Agree, but there is no doubt that experimenting with one's digital camera with a big gig media card has a much more cost effective "leanring curve" then with what used to be a $5 to $10 dollar 24-36 exposure roll of Kodacrome film! I know personally that I'm getting more of what I consider to be "good" photos thee days then I was 10 years ago, and while I'd like to say with 100% certainty that it's because I'm much better behind the lense now then I was back then, I know the reality is that a decent portion of it is attributed to the simple fact that I take alot more pictures now without any reguard for the time and expense of processing the film. And it's the fact that there so many more that are't afraid these days to try and take a bunch of pictures that is getting more and more of us to take some chances and really learn what both our cameras can do, and what our creative brains can dream up for our cameras to do

Click to expand...

agree 100%... theoretically: yes it's possible. practically: probably not.

Awesome pics. This is motivating me to pick up my skills some more.

Here's a crappy shot of me in Hawaii about five years back. Not nearly as good as those.

cool pics and report....that second pic reminded me of that movie 127 hours...