Blueberry Lake Before Sunrise
Mad River Valley Vermont
I first started going to Vermont and the Mad River Valley about 13 years ago when my then-girlfriend and future wife invited me to her grandparents’ cabin in Warren.
It was at a time when I was still getting into photography and I was blown away at all the beauty everywhere we went. I would go out every day and explore all of the roads In the area, trying to make mental notes of the ones I liked the best. The next morning I would wake up early and head towards one of those places to photograph the early morning light.
We’ve gone back up to the cabin almost every year since. Some years we would take both a summer and a fall trip, getting two very different vacation and photo experiences. The summer trips meant 4 a.m. wake up calls to be out for the early light, but also being back at the cabin just as the family is waking up. I can sleep in till 5 in the fall, which may sound early, but that extra hour makes a big difference to me.
The location of the cabin is perfect! It is a quick drive to route 100 for easy access north towards Stowe or south towards Rochester. Most mornings, however; I prefer to take one of the most picturesque drives there is and the cabin sits right at the beginning. Just over a mile down the road is one of my favorite spots and I don’t pass it up often. On every trip to Vermont, I end up with more photos of Blueberry Lake than any other location. The cool mountain air usually makes for low flying clouds along with steam rising as the water warms. This means it really looks different every day, but almost always dramatic.
Blueberry Lake Before Sunrise
The problem with having such a beautiful spot so close to the cabin, is that I end up missing my intended locations quite often. I might get there, but it’s usually after the golden light is gone, so on our most recent trip this past summer, I made a point to get to my spots on time. As you can see in the “Mad River Morning” post, I was successful at least once. In fact, I took this photo that same morning.
Instead of waiting for sunrise like I normally would, I decided to stop while it was still dark out and use long exposures to grab what little light there was. This was my final shot before heading towards Moretown, but I was delayed again when I saw the fighting deer along route 100. It was quite the morning!
This morning had some amazing fog. Actually. too thick for most of the morning, but as it started to lift I was able to capture some nice, moody photos. I hope to have something to share later in the week.
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