The roar of the water - thunderous, the power of the water - formidable and the sheer volume of water - colossal. That was how the Housatonic River at Bulls Bridge greeted me earlier this week. All that snow had to go somewhere I guess!

I feel fortunate to have Bulls Bridge in Connecticut close to my home. It's a beautiful area despite being a blend of natural geological features with manmade hydroelectric structures.

To my eyes though, the Housatonic is a mountain river bounded by steep wooded hillsides, featuring fast flowing water over coarse and rocky river beds. The Appalachian Trail follows the path of the river partly along its western bank before climbing steeply up Shaghticoke Mountain to follow it from up high. There's also a covered bridge — it was the first one I'd ever seen when I first came to America and despite being a little unattractive I still feel the thrill of driving across every time we head from New York into Connecticut.

Since those early days I've been exploring and photographing this stretch of the Housatonic across all four seasons and have a full series of images which you can see by clickinghere.

Or you can read on because this week the river had something extra to say, and I went to listen!

The Housatonic River at Bulls Bridge, CT. March 2026

Listen to the roar of the meltwater. This is just a little upstream from the covered bridge and was the start of my photographic journey earlier this week.

You can see my initial camera position visible in the video above and I’ve inserted the first image that I took that day in order to set the scene. However I spent a long while just standing on that promontory looking at the river whilst the roar of the water provided an exciting soundtrack. There was so much water, many of the rocky features normally visible were hidden, so much movement and so much power.

Have a close look at the image and try to imagine that you are standing there, in my place. What do you see, what would you shoot if you were me?

In the end I decided my morning would be all about tone, line and slow shutter speed - trying to capture the churning mass of water, the lines of its flow, its power. And for the first time in years, I tried to think in monochrome.

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Click on each of the 3 black and white images to see bigger. Can you see the location of each image on the larger colored image?

These three monochromatic images represent my attempt to take what I was seeing and render it down to its essentials.

My eye was initially drawn to the log snagged on a rock in the middle of the river, it gave me something solid to hold onto in all that frenetic water movement.

Then my attention was drawn over towards the far riverbank where I really liked the direction and speed of the water around the adjacent rocks. For this second shot I’ve slowed the shutter speed slightly in order to emphasize the paths taken by the water around those rocks.

For the third frame I decided to abandon any fixed point entirely, just photograph the water as it crashed over and around the submerged rocky riverbed. The shutter speed here was the shortest of the three - 1/10th second - I chose it because I still wanted to suggest movement but also needed to capture the spray as the water churned violently around the submerged rocks

I’d like to think that the monochromatic edit strips away everything the eye normally reaches for and leaves only what the river actually is - restless, powerful and indifferent to everything in its path.

What do you think, does the monochrome work, or should I have stuck to what I know and worked in color?

My second location of the day

After exhausting the possibilities up on the promontory I wanted to get closer to the river and moved on to a couple of spots that I know well. Both are right on the riverbank down amongst the rocks, where it can be quite bucolic when the water level is low, but in this case I had to be incredibly careful with the water rushing right by my feet. The high water level had one major drawback though - there was just too much water and not enough un submerged space on the riverbank to find the compositional variation that I desired.

I did come away with two images though that I really like

For this image I wanted to give a sense of being in the river without getting my feet wet, or being swept away. I set up a low tripod and took a few shots of the water gushing down the spillway. In the end I decided to lift the camera a little higher in order to show the journey of the water from the top of the spillway down into the main part of the river. I composed the frame with the rocks on either side of the image so as to contain the chaos and keep the eye focused - when I saw the splash I knew I had my shot.

This shot required getting closer to the spillway - that’s why I always carry a longer lens.

I’ve zoomed in to 165mm and chosen an aperture to help create a slight depth of field. The composition is deliberately complex - the trees and rocks are blockades against the power of the water, unmoving objects creating havoc and forcing it into new and unwanted paths. The dark areas at the top and bottom help to contain the viewer’s attention and I’ve also made an editorial decision to retain the color in this photograph. I felt that the color emphasized the difference between each element adding strength to the image rather than turning everything in to the same tones.

Never hike with a photographer - nearly two hours had passed and I'd barely moved a quarter mile from the car, an inability to walk past a good shot is the universal photographer's affliction!

So it was time to move on, take a hike downstream and just enjoy the trail for a while. Walking along the riverbank down to its confluence with the 10 Mile River is simply beautiful, whatever the season. The path also doubles up as the Appalachian Trail in this area, just follow the white blazes and tackle one of the simpler sections of this iconic long distance trail.

As you walk the river becomes a little slower, a little wider and the hills a little less precipitous - the sounds of the river never recede though, following you through the trees long after the spillway is out of sight.

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If you’ve enjoyed this blog and would like to explore more of the Housatonic, or even buy some photographs please check out my portfolio of images taken over this short stretch of a beautiful river.

As the season changes I expect that the land under my feet is going to change, but light is light and whatever is to come later this year I sure hope to continue my quest to pursue and take the best photographs that I possibly can.

As ever I would love your comments and am also happy to answer any questions or queries that you might have. Please note that my work is for sale and you can visit my shop to buy online, or if you prefer, just drop me a note. If your walls are already chock-a-bloc full of my photography perhaps you’d like to make a small donation in order help me in my quest to bring you interesting landscape photography? I regularly hike and backpack in the dark in order to get to or from a location, therefore in order to keep me caffeinated and awake please consider buying me a coffee…. Thank you so much

I tend to listen to BBC Radio during the day and was amused last week to hear a lot of hype for some very colorful sunsets that were expected in Britain over the coming days, apparently the atmosphere was laden with particulate from a Saharan dust storm. Here’s what an accompanying BBC news article had to say!!

“Stunning sunsets with risk of 'blood rain' as Saharan dust sweeps UK

A remarkable display is anticipated in the skies over the UK as a vast plume of Saharan dust drifts north over much the country. The dust, made up of fine sand and mineral particles lifted from the deserts of North Africa, will have travelled thousands of miles on warm southerly air currents. As it moves across the UK on Thursday and Friday it is expected to transform ordinary sunrises and sunsets into striking displays of deep gold, amber, and burnt orange.”

I had to laugh, partly because I’m a grumpy old so and so, but mostly because there’s so much more that has to fall into place for the conditions to be right for a striking and vibrant sunset.

Cue a blog post…..

Clouds:

When it comes to sunset, clouds are the photographer’s best friend, they act as a canvas both catching and reflecting the sun’s warm light as it dips down to and below the horizon.

Ideally you want 30 to 60% cloud cover and absolutely no low, dense cloud banks on the western horizon as these will simply swallow the light before it gets a chance to perform.

High to mid-level clouds work best, with thin wispy cirrus clouds providing the absolute sweet spot for stunning color and drama.

Atmosphere:

The atmosphere itself plays a huge role in the quality of a sunset, and this is where things can get really interesting for the photographer. When the sun is at a low angle relative to the viewer, the atmosphere tends to scatter the colder blue light and emphasise the warmer orange tones, setting up the conditions for the drama to come.

Clean, dry air that is low in humidity provides ideal conditions for warm light to bounce around the landscape, delivering pleasing vibrancy and color.

Humidity is also an important factor — too much moisture in the air tends to absorb the light, muting the color and flattening the scene.

Keep an eye out for sunsets that occur soon after a storm, or when the atmosphere contains just a touch of particulate matter. Dust, pollen and even distant wildfire smoke can add a rich, luminous glow to the sky. Some of the most memorable sunsets occur in the days following a distant weather event, when fine particles are still suspended high in the atmosphere.

Two images taken 5 minutes apart from the summit of Bearpen Mountain in the Catskills. The atmosphere was pretty humid and to add to the effect there was a dense bank of particulate blowing into the region from Canadian bush fires way to the north.

Wind:

Wind is often overlooked as a sunset predictor, but it plays a surprisingly important role in setting up the conditions for a great image. Check the forecast for wind speed and direction, then think about how that might affect your landscape and final composition.

A breezy afternoon is usually a good sign — think of it as nature scrubbing the air clean, preparing the day to end in style. Wind also sculpts the clouds, moulding them into interesting shapes and pushing them across the sky, adding energy and dynamism to an otherwise static landscape. Watching the clouds shift and reform presents the photographer with constant choice and an ever-changing composition.

Bear in mind that very strong winds can work against you, either stripping the sky bare or driving heavy cloud cover in too quickly, the sweet spot is a moderate breeze.

Timing and Direction

Knowing when to be in position is just as important as knowing where you are going. Getting to a location early gives you time to scout it out and find compositions that could work once the show starts.

Sunset times are easy to look up and there are a number of excellent apps that can help. These will also indicate the timing of golden hour, blue hour and last light which are all essential components when photographing a sunset. Remember a sunset is not simply the short moment when the sun disappears below the horizon. Golden hour can be sublime as a beautiful soft, warm light washes and envelops everything in its path. But don't pack away when it ends, blue hour transforms the landscape into shape and tone, often providing a dramatic and unexpected finale to a beautiful sunset.

Put simply, arrive early, stay late and keep watching the sky for ever changing conditions.

Everything discussed so far requires you to interpret the data, but the one thing entirely within your control is where you place yourself. The sun sets in the west and whilst you don't always need a westward view for a great sunset photograph, it certainly helps, especially if you are new to the game.

Ask yourself if you have a clear and unobstructed view across the landscape towards the setting sun and whether there is a compelling subject or foreground to provide context and interest. Water and elevation are also the photographer’s friend, automatically providing depth and impact to a landscape. Water is an especially good feature, reflections effectively double the visual impact of the scene as well as adding depth and symmetry to the composition.

Sunsets are a great gift, but the best photographs rarely happen by accident. Clouds, atmosphere, wind, timing and location all play their part - the more you understand how these conditions interact, the better placed you will be to anticipate, then capture something truly special. Knowledge comes with practice, so start checking the forecast with fresh eyes, look at the sky and notice how it behaves in the hours leading up to sunset. Above all, get out there, and be sure to check the entire horizon for potential photo opportunities, remember that weather can change, and if you’re patient, even a dismal sky can come to life, if only for a few moments!

Apps I use:

• Weatherbug

• Windy

• Mountain Forecast

• My Sunset

• Alpenglow

• Planit Pro

New York State has been my adopted home since 2009 and I have loved being able to explore such a wonderful and varied landscape. However 2026 will mark the end of my time here, last October unforeseen circumstances brought Nate’s retirement forward by a couple of years and I’ve decided that it’s time to join him. I’m going to give up LAND Gallery when the lease runs out in May and will cease operating my event photography business in mid June when the school year comes to an end. After that the adventure begins!

However rather than look forward to what is next I thought it would be good to look back and take inspiration from the glorious landscape that has inspired me to take my landscape photography to new heights. I’ve absolutely loved exploring this beautiful state but am also a little sad that there’s so much more that I’m never going to see, let alone photograph.

Exploring my new home.

One of the first times I went out for a walk in my new surroundings I headed a couple of miles down the road from my house to a local preserve. I’d read that there was a view somewhere in the preserve towards Putnam Lake and the village that was my new home. I was the only car parked at the trailhead where there was a noticeboard with a very basic map of the waymarked trails in the preserve - basically just colored lines, no distances or contours, but hey ho, off I went into the woods with my curiosity and a sense of adventure to explore this new world of mine!

After going off trail looking for the viewpoint I finally realized that this was not the same as an afternoon ramble in England. There were trees everywhere, no views, no-one else around and then after about an hour I realized that I’d committed so many basic errors - no one knew where I was, I had no phone, no water, no backpack and no sense of where I was going, not only that but bears, snakes and other dangerous animals lived in woods like these - Time to find the car and head home!

The Appalachian Trail

I don’t remember when I discovered that the Appalachian trail meandered through New York and more especially around Pawling, the location of my second home in the State, but I was thrilled. I’ve spent some beautiful mornings on the trail, with Cat Rock, Nuclear Lake and the Great Swamp becoming as familiar in the dark as they are in the daylight. However of all the images that I have from the Trail I think I’ll remember the subtle mornings the most, those where the haze or the inversions add a touch of mystery to the view

The above image became an instant favorite the minute I saw it. It was a memorable late Summer morning, the mist was heavy and lingered long after the sun had risen over the adjacent hillside. This image was taken around sunrise, the mist was drifting and swirling, one minute the little island would be visible, the next it was hidden, but with nowhere to be I just set up the camera, sat on a rock and waited for the perfect moment.

Once captured I wandered down the western shore of the lake, following the AT until I got to a small rocky promontory, the perfect spot to just sit and think in the early morning Summer heat, idly watching the birds as they went about their morning chores.

A Land of Beautiful Waterfalls.

What is it about a waterfall that makes you stop and stare, or is it just me? I just think a waterfall is magical and New York State has proved to be a paradise for my camera. After checking out the many locations within an hour or so of my home I eventually looked further afield and discovered the Finger Lakes. It’s an area about 4 hours drive away and somewhere that I’d love to explore more thoroughly, although now I'm just thankful for the times that I have been able to spend there.

After seeing a photograph of Watkins Glen online I knew I just had to see it for myself and wow it didn’t disappoint! My first visit was in early October and I planned a couple of nights camping nearby. After setting up my tent the afternoon was close to ending. My original plan had been to explore first thing in the morning but tbh I was so excited to be there I decided I had just enough time to head into the gorge in order to suss out the location for the following morning, I nearly left my camera in the car because it was getting late. I’m so glad I didn’t, the light was fantastic and “Elrond’s House” above was almost the first image that I took that evening. It’s still one of my favorites and way better, imho, than the picture postcard photos I managed the next day!

Shameless plug here - It’s also part of my “signature Image” print collection that is for sale - here’s a nice convenient link if you fancy your own copy.

https://www.janehaslamphotography.com/shop/p/elronds-house

Seasons

I’m going to miss the the stark seasonal changes in the landscape - temperatures so cold and ice so thick that you can safely walk on water in the Winter. Colors so vibrant and reflections so still in the Autumn. Ridiculously warm days, fireflies and hummingbirds in the Summer. Unfurling fiddleheads and powerful flows from all the meltwater in the Spring. At least I have a few photos to remind me of my time here.

New York’s Mountains

I love hills and high points, I remember being so thrilled when I realized just what was on my doorstep. There was the sharp intake of breath the first time I saw the Bear Mountain Bridge as we drove high above the Hudson River. There’s the quirky excitement of taking the auto road to the top of Bear Mountain in the Hudson Highlands and Whiteface Mountain up in the Adirondacks. The quiet satisfaction of scrambling up the steep, exposed trails on Breakneck Ridge high above the Hudson River and Bonticou Crag in the beautiful Shawangunks all topped off by the adventure I’ve had exploring the Catskill Mountains. There is one regret though because 5 hours to the north are the Adirondack Mountains, taller, more rugged and lonelier than the Catskills, despite a couple of short trips up there I’ve only managed to scratch the surface - it sure would have been nice to spend more time there.

To finish and even though I’ve blogged pretty consistently elsewhere about my adventures in the Catskills it would be wrong not to mention them here as those mountains have become such an important part of my New York DNA. I’ve had so many wonderful moments in the Catskills and am excited about the explorations I can fit in before I leave. The photographs have already led to a very successful exhibition and now I plan to follow up with a very special coffee table book, more details will follow in due course - in the meantime here’s a few images you may not have seen.

At some point I’ll be telling all about our plans and what the future holds, but whatever the future holds it is going to be hard to leave especially because I love where I live - if only we could take the house and the land with us and plop it down where ever we end up!

Building on my last post, Planning for Magic, where I explored winter photography in detail, I now want to share some more Catskill moments that unfolded during the first week of 2026. I had originally planned to camp overnight to maximize my time with the landscape, but once again the forecast told a different story and I found myself negotiating the prospect of overnight ice storms and a stubbornly low cloud base. These conditions loomed over all three days that I’d carefully set aside, so once again it had to be a pivot giving me the freedom to go to different locations, once I’d worked out where sunrise or sunset might prove most promising.

A nearly evening at Huckleberry Point

Finding a workable window for sunset proved difficult, with forecasts in the northern Catskills looking markedly worse than those to the south. A persistently low cloud base was also predicted across the region, so we chose to stay below 3,000 feet, thinking that a viewpoint along the escarpment that rises steeply from the Hudson Valley could prove fruitful. The hope was to find interest in the lower slopes, where light and weather might still align. Huckleberry Point, with its open southern views, felt promising, even though I knew the sun would slip behind the adjacent mountains shortly before sunset. We arrived at the ledge about half an hour before sunset to find intriguing conditions, a subtle wash of color was developing in the sky, whilst a quiet glow filtered through the mountain profiles to the moisture laden valley floor. Maybe this would work after all!!

Unfortunately a glance in another direction, up into Platte Clove and towards Jimmy Dolan Notch, told a very different story.A snowstorm was pushing down the clove, its leading edge already poised to blot everything out. As we were enveloped in a snowy vortex I hoped it would be brief, that once over and it had blown through normal service would resume. Unfortunately it lasted just a little too long and the density of the cloud as it blew out of the Clove was too thick to record anything meaningful in the gathering twilight. However I am happy with he photograph below which recorded that delicious light moments before it was obliterated by the storm - I just can’t help wondering what might have been!

I held my breath during a seven minute window of wonder!

It was exciting to think that a nice overnight stay in a warm apartment beckoned when we got back to the cars instead of the normal chilly hammock on a windy hillside! As I thawed out over dinner I was able to plan the next morning’s sunrise hike and decided that Giant Ledge in the Central Catskills looked promising. I’d had an absolutely fabulous Summer morning there back in August 2023 and thought that its sweeping eastern and northern views could prove successful this time around. It’s a 2 mile hike from the trailhead with around 1100ft elevation gain over its distance, the ledges should be easily reached in time to see the sunrise. So it proved, it was a beautiful hike in the dark, nothing was moving and we were well sheltered from the wind coming out of the west. The path was well trodden and icy but the depth of snow had smoothed out the normally gnarly rocky surface and was easily traversed. As we began our last climb, away through the trees there was an early glimpse of color in the sky then around 3000ft it became obvious that every surface was covered in rime ice - this was getting interesting.

We made the preferred ledge about 20 mins before the time of the actual sunrise, got a brew going and settled in for the show. Nothing had prepared us for what was to follow. As the sun started to appear over the horizon the magic happened and over the next 7 minutes one of the most breathtaking sunrises that I’ve ever had the privilege to witness unfolded right in front of us. Cue the happy dance and frenetic shutter clicking as I moved around the space looking for compositions not wanting to miss a moment.

Look at it one way and it’s easy to think that I had got incredibly lucky, as a number of elements were combining to make this the most magical sunrise, but I’d like to think that the choice of Giant Ledge as the destination was just a little more than luck. I’d like to think that the being able to build on my experiences last Winter has given me a little more know how and put me in the right place at the right time this time around.

However, there’s no doubting that the conditions were optimal. First of all a large dense bank of cloud in the sky above me was going to act as a huge, natural soft box, bouncing the light around the view in front of me. Secondly and intensifying the soft box effect, the rime ice is going to scatter the light, filtering out the colder blue parts of the spectrum and emphasizing the vibrancy at the red end of the spectrum. Thirdly there was moisture in the atmosphere in the middle distance and what looked like a weak bank of falling snow, this had the effect of diffusing the direct light from the sun and enhancing that already delicious glow. Finally the low angle of the sun plus the sliver of clear sky that it was rising into exaggerated and concentrated the direction of it’s light into the view in front of me.

No time to consider all of this though, because it wasn’t going to last long, at some point the sun was going to disappear into the cloud bank and the light was going to die. Best get on with the picture taking!

In the end the show lasted just 7 unforgettable minutes and as the light flattened out my thoughts turned to how easily it could have been to miss this breathtaking show. Getting up at stupid o’clock, for a hike in the dark, up a mountain, with a heavy winter pack that is also laden with heavy camera gear isn’t easy to do especially when the temperature is below zero and there is no guarantee of any result, but for some reason I am driven and will continue to do so whilst ever I can.

As the sun disappeared my eyes turned towards Overlook Mountain and the Northern Catskills., the low cloud base was frustrating but there was a brief glow that lit up the contours of the land in the middle distance. On another day I would have been totally thrilled with this image but as I reluctantly put my camera away I just couldn’t get the magnificence of those amazing 7 minutes out of my head.

2026 has started with a bang, can it get any better than this?

As the year moves on and the seasons change the land under my feet is going to change, but light is light and whatever is to come in 2026 I sure hope to continue my quest to pursue and take the best photographs that I possibly can.

Happy New Year

As ever I would love your comments and am also happy to answer any questions or queries that you might have. Please note that my work is for sale and you can visit my shop to buy online, or if you prefer, just drop me a note. If your walls are already chock-a-bloc full of my photography perhaps you’d like to make a small donation in order help me in my quest to bring you interesting landscape photography? I regularly hike and backpack in the dark in order to get to or from a location, therefore in order to keep me caffeinated and awake please consider buying me a coffee…. Thank you so much

See you next month.

Last Winter, hiking and backpacking in the Catskills taught me so much about landscape photography and working efficiently in the cold. I learnt to consider things such as how quickly the weather can turn, how brutally cold it gets overnight, and how tricky it can be to work a camera when the wind feels like it’s cutting straight through you. So this year, I made myself a promise: stay flexible, be prepared to change plans and learn to work quicker… oh and I’ve also bought an inordinate amount of those little hand and toe warmers!!!

Just before Thanksgiving last week I had identified a couple of days for a potential overnight but the weather forecast was suggesting a low cloud base, heavy overnight rain, as well as high winds with a brutal windchill - If photography was to be the name of the game these were conditions were best not to be ignored. Therefore I turned to Plan B and checked the forecast for sunrise / sunset on either side of the overnight. If one of those showed any promise then my plan would be to hike either in or out in the dark.

Bingo - after a closer look at the forecast Wednesday afternoon was showing real potential. Essentially one storm was clearing out which left a small window of calm before the next system rolled in a few hours later - cue excited jumping up and down in anticipation.

Basically when a storm moves through, it can leave behind a complex cloud structure giving texture, drama and mood to the landscape, then add to that Golden Hour timing, with it’s low-angle sunlight, reflections, color and layers upon layers of atmosphere …… definitely potential for my sort of perfection. If I’d stubbornly stuck to the original plan, as I did last Winter, I’d have been driving home during sunset on Thanksgiving Eve with nothing but another bust!

Now I just need an appropriate viewpoint and Blackhead Mountain fitted the bill perfectly. It’s located in the Northern Catskills, has great views south and west towards the interior, and at 3940ft has all the elevation that I need. There was also an unexpected bonus when I pulled up at the trailhead as the temperature which was in the low 50’s ….. what!!!!!! At least I can brag now about the delightful experience of carrying a heavy Winter pack in a t-shirt!!!!!! After a couple of hours slogging upwards the view that greeted us was the unmistakable outline of the Devils path and away to the right some early attempts at snow making on Hunter mountain.

We hiked a little higher to the main viewpoint and immediately saw a pop up storm barreling our way. We were going to get wet, but at the same time this was a brilliant development, the higher than normal temperature at our elevation with rain in the valley might mean trapped moisture, we could be on for an an inversion …… in November!!! In the afternoon!!!!!

So with about 90 minutes to kill before sunset and a fast moving rainstorm heading towards us we moved on, might as well bag the summit of another Catskill High Peak and find a little respite from the rain amongst the trees. What followed was nothing short of perfect - I bagged my peak then headed back to the view to watch the skies clear and enjoy the forecast window of calm. What followed was nothing short of amazing, we were able to sit in almost comfort for over an hour, cook dinner and watch a show!

As the last of the light faded, we checked our headlamps, reluctantly packed up, and began the hike down the mountain. Just ten minutes from the trailhead, the heavens opened—the next storm had arrived. We may have arrived back at the car soaked, but the rain couldn’t dampen our spirits. With a little flexibility, a touch of risk, and careful planning, we had created a golden memory: a photo hike that truly delivered in spades.

I hope you've enjoyed this little exploration of my recent photography adventures and would be happy to answer any questions or queries that you might have. Also please note that my work is for sale and you can visit my shop to buy online, head to LAND gallery in Pawling, New York to buy in person, or just drop me a note. If your walls are already chock-a-bloc full of my photography perhaps you’d like to make a small donation in order help me in my quest to bring you interesting landscape photography? I regularly hike and backpack in the dark in order to get to or from a location, therefore in order to keep me caffeinated and awake please consider buying me a coffee…. Thank you so much

See you on the trail.

After my initial annoyance, as in how dare this person question my professional integrity? I got to thinking, what is it about the “no filter” or “no edit” brigade on social media that annoys me so much? So I decided to write a short blog about editing and my photographic vision.

Essentially, I’m old school analogue, in a past life I spent many hours locked away in a darkroom trying to bring my artistic vision to life. Back in the day when I had to use film I there would be dodging, burning, and adjusting the photograph in order to create a finished image that reflected what I wanted to say and not just what the camera saw. Now I’m simply grateful to have a computer, Adobe, and the incredible power of both Lightroom and Photoshop at my fingertips. Not only that, I now develop the photographs in the light with drinks and snacks! In fact I’m not even tied to my office anymore, laptops, iPads and even my cell phone allow me to work on the go wherever and whenever I want. Photographers have never had it so good!

The Myth of the “Pure” Photograph

For me photography is a two-stage process - capture and develop. The idea that a photograph straight out of camera (SOOC) is somehow more “authentic” totally puzzles me. Every photograph that I take is the culmination of a series of choices… I’ve thought about the composition, I’ve watched the light, then chosen what lens to use, selected the aperture, the shutter speed and iso. Even before pressing the shutter, I’ve shaped the image in my minds eye and have an idea as to how I wish to present it once it’s downloaded and ready to edit.

Take the two images above, the one on the right is the RAW original - in that the camera has recorded the information in front of it, but with absolutely no processing applied. It’s a soulless set of pixels only logging and not interpreting what was happening during this magnificent morning. There. I’ve said “magnificent morning” because I want the viewer to share in my happy dance and excitement at the weather conditions! I’d arrived at the overlook well before sunrise hoping that there would be a bit of moisture in the atmosphere left over from the previous day’s storm - if you know me then you know that I love a misty inversion. I know that once the sun comes over the horizon the mist will burn off quickly, but if I’m lucky delicate air currents will cause it to swirl and dance as well as come alive with the color of sunrise, I might event get a few nice shadows and patterns from the low angle of the sun. Add this to the fact that the trees were just about at their full Autumnal color and I hope you start to buy into my excitement?

The image on the left is therefore the one that I presented to the world, I’d like to think that visually it presents an artistic interpretation of the excited happy dance at the sunrise that I witnessed that morning.

Digital Darkrooms and Artistic Intention

Manipulation or craftsmanship?

When digital photography came along, it didn’t replace the darkroom, it became the darkroom, giving the photographer easy access to a range of editing tools that were unthinkable back in the days of film. Now the tools are faster, more precise, and accessible to everyone. To my mind, though, nothing has changed and all the same darkroom principles apply - My RAW image is my negative and allows me to adjust exposure, contrast, and color balance, then I can dodge, burn, color tone, bleach and spot out dust marks to present the photograph in a way that honors the moment of capture while revealing the emotional depth that drew me to take the shot in the first place.

Put simply editing allows me to translate what I saw into what I felt.

The image above is what prompted this post! Yes it is edited but it does represent what I saw and what I felt that morning.

I had hoped to photograph the sunrise that morning from a viewpoint at the summit of Slide Mountain in The Catskills but unfortunately the weather gods intervened and with the mountain totally enveloped in cloud I decided to photograph the forest along the trail. My aim was to recreate the atmosphere of the morning as well as illustrate what I was feeling as I headed away from the summit enveloped in a silent world of moisture and mist. What do you think, does it work? I’d love to think that I’ve visually transported you into my world that morning.

Here comes the shameless plug too - This is one of my current signature images and can be purchased online at this link

Honesty and Vision

To my mind good editing should be invisible, it should guide the viewer’s eye, clarify the light, enhance the atmosphere, evoke the emotion and not scream “Photoshop!” Of course, there is a fine line between enhancing and overdoing - I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been tempted to crank up the saturation, smooth out textures, delete details or drop in dramatic skies, but thankfully I am normally able to stop myself!

For me, honesty in photography matters deeply, but honesty isn’t about refusing to touch a slider; it’s about staying true to my creative vision with the key being intent - does the edit support my vision, is the moment strengthened and emphasized? The real question then, isn’t whether I edited, but whether the final image feels authentic to the experience I had and the story I wanted to tell.

Essentially I say lets embrace the process and accept that Photography as well as being a technical craft it is also an emotional art form. So yes—I edit, I develop, I refine, just as photographers have done for generations, my tools might have changed, but the intent remains and I hope that my photography brings life to the moment as well as just a little of the emotion that I felt standing there behind the camera marveling at the landscape in front of me.

And Finally

New York State is such a beautiful and inspirational landscape, so in order to end this little post I’ve included a small selection of edited images that I took at Letchworth State Park earlier this Autumn - 4 days of photographic bliss in a landscape that I’ve long wanted to photograph. I had a blast and I’m sure that the joy I felt exploring this remarkable landscape is evident in each of the images ….. what do you think? I’d love a comment or two.

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As summer fades, the days grow shorter, the air turns crisper, and the light seems to take on a warmer, more golden glow - what’s not to love about Autumn? It’s a season made for photography - fiery leaves, soft golden light, and crisp, fresh air combine to create landscapes that almost photograph themselves. Ultimately though, the difference between a “nice snapshot” and a truly breathtaking image comes down to timing, preparation, and knowing how to work with the light. To help I’ve gathered a few ideas to inspire you to outside and capture the season at it’s best. So grab your layers, get out there and have some fun!

Don’t Miss Golden Hour

The best light comes twice a day around sunrise and sunset and the light around “Golden Hour” bathes landscapes in beautiful warm tones. When the sun is low, the shadows are soft and the sunlight emits a warm, magical glow.

If you have a choice and can’t sleep, I always recommend starting early, in my opinion there’s just something inherently more magical at sunrise than sunset. Also there is truly no excuse to miss sunrise in the Fall in the Hudson Valley - sunrise is around 6:50 a.m. in early October, and by the end of the month, it’s closer to 7:30 a.m - almost a lie-in!

Pro Tip: Being out while the world sleeps is magical. Even if the weather isn’t perfect, the quiet, calm mornings are always unforgettable.

Embrace Cozy

Dress to be warm and have layers with you for when you stop moving. Take food and drink - sunrise breakfast with freshly brewed coffee whilst taking in the landscape is the absolute best btw!

Pro Tip: Give yourself time to stop and just enjoy the moment, make a memory and be present, I find that this is every bit as valuable as taking the photographs.

Do Your Research

Before you go out check the weather forecast, find foliage reports for the area, search for images of the area and then don’t forget to check the orientation of your location especially if you are hoping to shoot during Golden Hour. I’m always amazed at how many people don’t seem to factor this into location suggestions - Essentially some sort of East facing view for sunrise and West for sunset is a good starting point.

Pro tip: The sun is roughly in the south in the middle of the day so if you stand with it on your right shoulder your left hand points to the north and your back to the west

Work with the Light You Have

The success of a photograph often depends on the quality and direction of the light. Consider where the sun is, the time of day, and cloud cover. When the sun is behind your camera, colors can be richly saturated, but landscapes may look a little flat whereas shooting into the sun can create silhouette and beautiful rim light around subjects. Autumn weather provides a wealth of opportunities - a few clouds in the sky are always perfect for atmospheric color. Early morning humidity brings the magic with undercast and inversion. Calm conditions are perfect for reflections. Blue sky, cloudless days are best for details.

Pro tip: Experiment, adapt, and work with the light you’re given—it’s all part of the creative challenge

Just Go Out

Don’t wait for “Peak Fall” or perfect weather, opportunities for great shots exist throughout the season and in any conditions. Dress accordingly and be prepared to adapt, experiment, and embrace the day

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Simple Photography Checklist

• 📸 Wake up early for sunrise—Golden Hour is magic.

• 🧥 Dress in layers and bring snacks/coffee.

• 🌄 Research location, foliage, and sun direction.

• 🌧️ Don’t wait for perfect weather—any day can be beautiful.

• ☀️ Work with the light you have, not what you wish you had.

• ✨ Pause and enjoy the moment—it’s just as important as the photo.

Autumn is fleeting, and its beauty waits for no one, step outside and see with your own eyes, chase the golden glow, savor the quiet of twilight, and let the deep blues of evening inspire you. Every photograph is more than an image; it’s a memory, a mood, and a story. So grab your camera, embrace the season, and let the magic of fall unfold through your lens.

To inspire you here’s a few of my favorite Fall images - Happy shooting!

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August went by in the blink of an eye. It was a great month, with a bit of travel, some quality time with family, as well as a few more memorable moments behind the camera. Since the month was book ended by two very different balloon festivals I thought this blog post should feature them and my chance to play with color, light, and perspective in a joyful and whimsical way.

Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

Wow, just wow.

When I decided to travel home to England during August we decided to tailor our plans coincide with the balloon fiesta, which is not only one of Bristol’s signature events but is also one of Europe's largest, featuring mass ascents scheduled each morning and evening normally involving over 100 balloons.

In my mind I really hoped for favorable wind conditions to ensure I could try to capture an iconic photograph of balloons over the Clifton Suspension Bridge high above the Avon Gorge. On Friday evening, after checking the forecast we decided the sunrise launch on Saturday would be our chance so we planned to set out at 4am to walk up to Clifton and the viewpoint over the Bridge. A few hundred other people had the same idea! but at least we got there in plenty of time to bag a prime viewing spot on top of the cliffs. On a side note we were also able to cross off one of the Wallace and Gromit installations when we found Wallace with an early morning cup of tea!

In the end I was really happy with the picture above of the bridge and the balloons. Although it would have been nice to have had a colorful sunrise I think the texture of the clouds is a bit more in tune with normal English weather and because of this I’ve boosted the contrast of the photograph as well as adding a strong vignette in order to enhance the drama within the scene.

Nothing prepared me for the following morning!

On Sunday we headed to the festival grounds at Ashton Court to watch the launch. The forecast promised calm, cloudless skies, and with the wind blowing in a completely different direction from Saturday, we were relieved we’d chosen Clifton the day before. I’d last attended a sunrise launch at a small balloon festival about ten years ago. It was pleasant enough, but not especially memorable, so I arrived with fairly low expectations. What unfolded on Sunday morning, however, was on an entirely different level.

You’ll have to imagine what it’s like to be on the grounds of a stately home as dawn breaks with what seemed to be half the population of Bristol. People were pouring onto the grounds as we walked in and many families had come extremely well prepared with camping stoves, picnic blankets and breakfast food. The smell of coffee and bacon butties was enticing, but we had photography to think about as we awaited the Balloon Marshall’s decision re take off that morning. I typically like to work with a long lens generally facing towards the sun, the lens allows me to isolate color, shape and pattern whilst shooting into the sun provides dreamy backlighting, silhouettes and sunstars.

What I wasn’t prepared for was the sheer magic of a mass balloon launch. Later, we counted over ninety balloons drifting across one of our frames. Put simply it was overwhelming, the noise of the burners drowning out everything else, yet despite the hubbub it was so serene as balloons started to float into the sky. I took plenty of photographs, but just as often I lowered the camera to stand and absorb it all. It was an exquisite, breathtaking morning I’ll remember for years. Looking back, I’m not sure my images capture the full wonder of it—perhaps the perfect excuse to book flights and return next year!

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Because I’d had so much fun in Bristol I decided to consider options to attend another festival once I got home to New York, I know there’s a large Adirondack event in September but was more interested in the smaller Hudson Valley festival at the end of August. It’s held at Tymor Park in Union Vale which, as a bonus is only a short drive over West Mountain from my home. The festival also promises fireworks and a moon glow each evening so if the weather worked I decided I’d give it a go.

I attended the Moon Glow on Friday evening, and the photograph below is my attempt to capture the spirit of the night. It’s a composite image, as the Moon Glow and fireworks didn’t actually happen at the same time—something I hadn’t expected. I set up on a tripod from a single spot on the hillside parking lot and worked from there. The photograph of the balloons was a 1 second exposure taken at 6.41pm, although it was still pretty light at this point. then the fireworks were taken at 7pm with a 9 second exposure ensuring that I captured the light from 4 different launches. The two images were then blended in photoshop, I darkened portions of the image to provide a little atmosphere, although I did leave the sky a little lighter to make the hillside into a silhouette and then I added a very slight wash of orange to the entire image in order to unify the white balance and tie all the elements together.

Over the weekend I made it to both sunrise launches, and I’m so glad I put in the effort. While neither morning carried quite the same emotion as the mass launch back in Bristol, what they lacked in numbers was more than balanced by the beauty of the conditions. Gentle winds, soft mist, and fewer balloons in the sky gave me chance to slow down, explore the light, and place the balloons within the broader landscape. Most of my images were made with the 100–400mm telephoto, as I love the compression that a long lens creates, flattening distance and pulling shapes, colors, and layers of atmosphere together.

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This final image was the last frame I captured on Sunday morning. By then, I had switched to a 35mm lens to take in more of the scene. Look closely at it alongside some of the other images in this blog—you’ll see just how dramatically a change in focal length can alter the mood and feel of a landscape. Paying attention to focal length is a simple but powerful way to shape the mood and impact of your images.

I hope you’ve enjoyed these images and the story behind them as much as I did at the time - So now its on to September, would it surprise you to know that my plans involve waterfalls, the change in season and more exploration in The Catskills.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read, please feel free to reach out with questions, to leave me a comment or even buy me a coffee via my donation link here

If you haven’t been ably to make it there yet, no worries as the show will be on the walls until Saturday 11th October.

My explorations of the Catskills have been a journey of growth in many ways, and through a series of storyboards, this exhibition offers a glimpse into those experiences. In the coming blog posts, I’ll share more of the stories and details behind each board, offering a deeper look into the paths and moments that shaped them.

How it Started

That first overnight trip to Dibbles Quarry was a steep learning curve. Our plan was to photograph sunset at Pecoy Notch, then Sunrise from the Quarry itself. On the way up to Pecoy Notch, we passed a small waterfall where I wasted a bit of time over this a promising scene. When we eventually reached Pecoy Notch, it seemed perfect, until the sun slipped behind the mountain and the light vanished, thus leaving my work abruptly done. Consequently we hurried back down to Dibbles Quarry, hoping for a touch of twilight color and also to plan for the morning. Looking back at those early photos now, I can clearly see how much my expectations as well as my eye have developed over the course of our journeys!

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Over the coming weeks I intend to post more in order to add a bit more detail to my adventures in the Catskill Mountains. If you can I’d urge you to take a day out and head out to see the exhibition in person, the Pine Hill Community Center has been extremely supportive of my efforts and the people there are super friendly. Otherwise I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog and will look out for the next episode.

As ever thank you so much for reading and supporting my endeavors, I’d love feedback so if you have time please leave me a comment, or if you are feeling generous I have a donation page where you can buy me a coffee - Here’s the link

Finally I asked Chatgpt to write me a snappy quotation about landscape photography and rather like the result

till next time

Although I have a lot of favorite moments on my exploration of The Catskills these are two images that will long stay in my memory, fittingly they both feature prominently in the exhibition:

Alder Lake Sunset:

This enchanting photograph was captured in June 2025, right in the midst of an early Summer heatwave. It remains perhaps the easiest backpacking trip we’ve ever taken, with no elevation gain and very low mileage, a rare combination for such a rewarding experience. Despite its simplicity, the trip was absolutely magical in every way. A full moon rose high in the sky, and with no threat of rainfall, we happily camped without the rainfly. The dappled moonlight filtering softly through the trees created a serene and captivating atmosphere, whilst the night itself was alive with the gentle flicker of lightning bugs and the soothing croaks of bullfrogs along the lakeshore.

As the sun began to set we wandered slowly along the lakeshore looking for foreground interest, I hope you’ll agree that the canoe is perfect! The most fascinating effect though was that as the sun disappeared, warmer and cooler air mingled to created a few short lived localized clouds adding interest to an otherwise bland sky…. cue a happy dance, idyllic and peaceful moments that stay with you long after leaving the woods.

Tremper Mountain Sunrise:

This was another hot and humid trip undertaken in July 2024. It was to be my first time photographing the landscape from a dreaded fire tower, in fact my fear of fire towers is one of the stories in the exhibition. We also found a Timber Rattlesnake curled up near the shelter, just a little off the summit of the mountain. This unexpected encounter played a big part in our decision on where to camp overnight… basically choosing a spot as far away from that snake as possible! Overnight, however was amazing, who needs sleep anyway! - we had blue hour, golden hour, layers, clouds, inversion in the valleys and even a minor view of the aurora! To be honest I could have mounted an exhibition solely of images from this trip, there were so many jaw dropping moments, but in the end I chose the Tremper Mountain Sunrise because I always love an early morning bank of clouds, crepuscular rays and a layered landscape.

Finally let me introduce you to my partner in crime for this undertaking - Moe Lemire, a NY State registered guide, owner of Hike on Guides and all round lovely fella.

I took a long break over the Winter to consider the future of Jane Haslam Photography and I'm delighted to say that even though things are taking longer to put in place than I expected there are exciting things about to happen in my world. Behind the scenes I've been working diligently, aiming to relaunch my business with a new look and a better online presence, the new logo above is just a part of the whole project. Luckily I am working with the fantastic Chris Bick from Pioneer Agency in Kingston, NY. He's been brilliant at keeping me on track during my busiest periods and we hope to be able to launch a newly designed website very soon. To find out more about Chris, his business and the services that he offers please check out the link below, I can highly recommend him and his work.

LAND Gallery

#Take Home a Piece of Pawling

My gallery premises in Pawling will remain front and center for now providing a valuable showcase not only for my work, but also for the work of other local photographers and artisans. I'm open Thursday to Sunday now until the end of the year and would welcome anyone who wishes to drop by to see my work, buy my work, book my services or just chat all things landscape photography.

Adventure Photography Services

Let's Go on an Adventure! - New for Summer 2025

Back in May I passed the New York State Outdoor Guides exam and am now in the process of becoming a registered back country guide. My aim is to provide memorable and unique hiking experiences based around photography. I'll be offering guided photo walks, workshops and custom portrait sessions all outdoors in stunning locations. Together, we’ll explore the natural landscape and create meaningful moments through photography. Whether you’re looking to improve your own camera skills or want a memorable family / group portrait session I've got the service for you.

My first Hike 'n Learn workshops are coming up next week, they've been advertised via social media and the interest has been huge. However if you would like to attend please send me a message and I'll make sure, that as a subscriber to my blog you get a place.

June Events: Introduction to Landscape Photography Workshop.

Black Rock Forest, Hudson Highlands, New York.

$49 per workshop

I will be accompanied on this workshop by Outdoor Guide Vicki Ferreira, who will ensure that you have a safe and engaging experience on the trail, whilst I provide the photography learning elements along the way. This is a unique experience aimed at photographers of ALL levels and who shoot with ALL types of cameras - Smartphone or a professional camera - all we ask is that you bring an open mind, a willingness to learn and a happy face as we encourage you to connect to the landscape around you one step at a time.

The workshop is entirely field based and will provide a wonderful opportunity to sharpen your eye whilst out on the trail. It will be a mixture of formal and informal learning opportunities as we move along the trail. The hike is around 3 to 4 miles, rated easy / moderate and has an overall elevation gain of 680ft. The hike features a beautiful waterfall, many photogenic cascades and then a climb up to a viewpoint with a glacial erratic and views towards the. Catskill Mountains.

What you must bring
Camera - Smartphone or Professional model, or anything in between
Sturdy Footwear
Appropriate clothing
Water and food for the day
Sun protection
Flashlight
Bug Spray

Nice to have but not essential
Different Lenses
Tripod
Filters
Shutter release

And Finally, there's still time to "Celebrate Pawling" at LAND Gallery. We plan to change the show after Independence Day so if you've haven't been to see our new and inspiring work come check out what you've been missing. We are open Thursday to Sunday each week and as well as my own work I also represent other local visual artists and artisans. During Spring LAND is all about local and to that end I have developed “The Pawling Collection” a set of images and gifts that celebrate the beautiful area in which I live.

You might also remember that towards the end of 2024 I self published my first landscape photography book - “Impressions of Pawling.” Which is a limited edition of 50 signed and numbered copies. It’s sold really well but there’s still a few left to purchase, so don’t miss out…. when they are gone they are gone for good.

Phew! March proved to be a busy month! Between school events and Gallery renovations I just didn’t have the time to sit down update the blog, but its all done now, the photos are delivered and LAND Gallery has re-opened for 2025, so now its back to normal, whatever passes for normal these days!!

Of all the iterations of my photography business LAND Gallery is the one in which I am most proud. Since establishing the Gallery in 2018 it has allowed me to grow, both personally and as a photographer by providing the time and the space to be able to develop as well as showcase my work. This year I hope to be able to build on this by improving my reach, both in person and online so that I can get my work in front of a wider range of people. I also have a new logo and would love to know what you think about this ……..

Celebrate Pawling at LAND Gallery

This Spring, if you are able please try to fit a visit to LAND into your schedule, as we have a beautiful space chock full of new and inspiring work. We are open Thursday to Sunday each week and as well as my own work I also represent other local visual artists and artisans. During Spring LAND is all about local and to that end I have developed “The Pawling Collection” a set of images and gifts that celebrate the beautiful area in which I live.

You might remember that towards the end of 2024 I self published my first landscape photography book - “Impressions of Pawling.” Which is a limited edition of 50 signed and numbered copies. It’s sold really well but there’s still a few left to purchase, so don’t miss out…. when they are gone they are gone for good.

The Great Swamp Boardwalk

After moving to the USA in 2009 this was one of the first areas that I explored and remember the thrill of realization that this short little 1/3 mile boardwalk made up a tiny portion of the 2000+ mile Appalachian Trail. It is located off Route 22 to the north of Pawling and is a very special place, so much so that it even has its own train station!

I visit regularly, both with and without the camera. When you leave the road behind and cross over the railway tracks onto the Boardwalk you are quickly swallowed up by the Swamp, becoming immersed in the sights and sounds of another world. It's so close but can feel so remote, until the whistle of a train pulls you back to reality

Here’s a few of my favorite moments:

If you’ve followed my work for a while then you have almost certainly seen the image below. It was taken in mid summer, 2018 just before sunrise and is a moment that I can clearly remember. I was heading along the boardwalk to meet my friend Justin so that we could begin our AT hiker portrait project. As you walk along the boardwalk you are surrounded by dense stands of tall invasive Phragmites, it’s quite claustrophobic but then you round a corner and the view opens out. On this particular morning it took my breath away, I just had to stop and photograph it!!

This photo remains very special to me, not only has it won awards but it represents a moment in my photography career when I chose to change course and follow my passion along a path that would prove to be fulfilling to me and my artistic ambitions.

I’ve never been able to recreate anything like “Night to Day” since, but there was that night in October 2024 when I was chasing the Aurora and decided to head out onto the boardwalk to the same spot. My time out there coincided with a solar flare of some sort because suddenly the whole sky started to glow with color, I was so damned excited that my little happy dance must have made me look and sound like some crazy swamp monster!! The pictures were well worth it though

I do love a bit of layering in the landscape, and this next photo was taken during another priceless foggy summer sunrise out along the Boardwalk. Walking out towards the far end and the Swamp River I was completely enveloped in a dense morning mist, it was an all out assault on my sense of sound. Imagination was the key as the day came alive around me totally unseen, but then I stopped and look back towards the sun……… wait isn’t that a tree line slowly appearing out of the mist? Cue camera, watch, wait, take photo and repeat until sight returns and the richness of the land around me has been fully revealed in all its Summer glory

Over Christmas 2019 I was booked by a local family for a portrait session out on the Boardwalk, imagine my surprise when they asked to do the session in the early morning, complete with teenagers and family dogs! It was a cold but beautiful start to the day and I could hear them heading towards me as I grabbed this opportunity in the stillness of the new morning. The portrait session went well too.

Another dense and foggy morning in early Summer and another early walk on the Boardwalk. This was one of those times when the fog just lingered and drifted, it was incredibly surreal listening to the birdlife and watching small familiar features drift in and out of my vision. This was one of those times, I shot from low angle with a shallow depth of field to add a bit of foreground interest to an otherwise empty view.

I’m going to finish this blog with another favorite photo of the Swamp River, but one that was taken just a little way north of the Boardwalk from the side of the road on old route 22. That morning I was actually heading to the Boardwalk when I decided to stop here, it was around 5.20am and I knew that a train was due, because Nate was waiting at the Village station for it to take him to work! I stopped because it was such a beautifully still morning, though I clearly remember the disruption that the train briefly caused as it clattered south towards Pawling.

Thanks for taking the time to read these musings and my tiny celebration of a very small part of Pawling. All these photos and more can be seen at LAND Gallery in the Center of the Village and I’d love to see you there.

I am thrilled to showcase some beautiful new work this year. As well as my photography the Gallery represents other local photographers and visual artists Linda T Hubbard, Rebecca Tocci, Phyllis Chadwick, Kelly Edwards as well as local artisans Ed Bryan, Ann Heywood, Karen Ostrom, Genevieve Jan and Alexandra Seebold

We are open Thursday to Sunday each week and will also be participating in the Pawling wide Mothers Day Stroll on Friday 9th May from 6pm-8pm. Mark your calendars and I’ll see you at LAND

wasn’t going write another blog about my winter backpacking experiences no matter what happened earlier this week. But after looking back at another successful 24 hours how could I not?

The Numbers

Hunter Mountain is the second highest in the Catskills at 4040ft, and I climbed it twice on this trip for sunset and sunrise. We camped in the Devils Acre shelter at 3500ft with an overnight temperature of 13 degrees Fahrenheit that’s -11 Celsius for my English readers. The overall route was 12 miles with a total elevation gain of 2700ft, with my only concession to the weight that I had to carry was to leave my tripod in the car.

Basically this trip was the furthest I’ve snowshoed, the coldest I’ve camped and also the second time I’ve climbed a fire tower without freezing in fear from vertigo. The resulting imagery meant I finally managed a few bucket list images from the summit of Hunter Mountain………………….. I’m still on a high a few days later writing this in a nice warm house.

The Winter Bucket List

This was born a year ago, 13th Feb 2024 to be precise, when I took the photo below over at Boyce Park just around the corner from my house. It was the only decent snowfall we had last year – about 6” and I rushed to get the driveway cleared so I could get out and take a few photos. Looking at the row of evergreens I longed for a mountain scene behind it – I suppose I could turn to AI and artificially add something but where’s the fun in that?

I knew then that my Catskill photography project would have to include Winter camping in order to give me a chance of photographing alpenglow up close and personal …. ie golden hour light illuminating snow covered evergreens with some sort of mountain backdrop. How hard could that be!!!

3rd Time Lucky At Hunter Mountain

During the last week of March in 2024 I set off up Hunter Mountain with my good friend Amy with an aim to camp in the John Robb shelter overnight and then climb up to the fire tower the next morning. There were a few inches of snow on the ground and the temps were just below freezing that night – I did everything wrong! My camping gear was only rated for 3 seasons, but how hard could it be to throw on a few extra layers and tough it out? Not only that my water supplies froze and I didn’t eat enough, overnight I was a mass of cramps, it was miserable!

The next morning we got up to climb the remaining mile to the summit fire tower, my body just ran out of energy and I’ll admit now that we didn’t quite make it up the last steep incline, so I never saw the sunrise that morning. I was angry with myself on the way down later that day, I don’t like to fail, but looking back now it was a vital step on the road to where I am and what I do now.

The trek wasn’t a complete failure though, as I did manage some photography at sunset from the ledges near the shelter.

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The second time Hunter Mountain beat me was in September 2024, and this time it was the weather that didn’t play ball. I was overnighting with Moe again hammocking at the John Robb Shelter. My aim was to climb the fire tower to record the first color in what would become a beautiful autumn. As the day wore on the blue skies receded, we hiked up to the fire tower but by late afternoon the cloud cover had killed any chance of sunset photography. The following morning we didn’t even bother to get up for sunrise the shelter was deep in cloud and it was raining, the forecast had indeed let us down.

Before I detail my third and most recent hike up Hunter I just wanted to take a minute to consider my interaction and relationship with fire towers

I hate them!

Well maybe hate is too strong a word, but climbing them is definitely THE most uncomfortable experience. I think it goes back to when I was a kid and a department store in the town where I grew up had an open staircase leading up to the first floor. Being dragged along behind my mum and looking through the empty risers down onto the floor we had just left was simply terrifying!

Fire towers are the same but on steroids! They are completely open, they sway in the most gentle of breezes and they just don’t seem safe …… but … wow once you can drag yourself up above the tree line the views are so worth it!

Overlook Mountain was my first fire tower and since then I’ve dragged myself up Tremper Mtn, Balsam Lake Mtn and Hunter Mtn with each one proving to be a great location for golden hour photography.

So we come to this week and my 3rd time lucky. The forecast was for calm dry conditions although it was touch and go re the cloud cover with the sunrise forecast looking better than sunset. It was going to be cold so we decided to camp at the Devils Acre shelter on the eastern side of Hunter. At 1.7 miles from the summit It was a slightly better option than the John Robb shelter, being more sheltered and a slightly easier gradient to cover the remaining 600 feet of elevation gain to get up to the fire tower. There was a reasonable snowshoe trench most of the way to the shelter and although it was a tough climb we weren’t really breaking trail. We climbed steadily but had allowed enough time to set up at the shelter before carrying on to the summit for sunset if we felt the weather was going to work for sunset photography.

It took longer to set up than anticipated, the floor of the shelter was covered in ice which we tried to break up and remove before setting up camp. At least it was an activity to keep us warm! After everything was in place we knew it was touch and go as to whether we could make the summit in any sort of daylight, but again it would be something to keep us warm for the next couple of hours and give us an idea of conditions / timings for the morning.

The Winter wonderland in the video was encountered just before we made it up to the fire tower …. It’s Moe’s video and listen for a very faint but excited exclamation from me a fair way behind him as I saw it!

It’s the little things that keep me motivated!

In the end we missed the actual sunset by about 30 mins. In one sense this was a shame because from what we did see it could have been pretty good, however in such cold temperatures there’s no waiting around to see what will develop so what we DID see and photograph was good enough.

The photo below was shot handheld at 6400 iso at 1/25th second and f 3.5 – those are settings that I would never normally choose for landscape photography but by this time it was getting pretty dark and I had to push the camera to deal with the conditions the best I could. Remember that I left the tripod behind purposely to save a bit of space and weight in my pack, but it was also left behind because it takes time to work with a tripod and in cold conditions half way up a fire tower I’ve discovered that time is something the photographer doesn’t have!

After a bit of noise reduction I’m happy with this, I don’t think I’ll ever do a super large print because of the camera’s settings but it does record a nice moment on a memorable trip – and yes the sky was pretty radio active at this point!

The next morning the alarm went off at 5am and we set off a little while later aiming to make it back to the fire tower for 7am and hoping to see a view of the sun coming over the distant mountains. The forecast had 60% cloud cover which could be pretty epic, depending upon conditions at the horizon.

In the end what we experienced was pretty good, maybe a 7/10 with the high level haze helping to spread the color beyond the area around the sun. Unfortunately the haze also. meant that there was no direct sunlight nor distinct alpenglow on the snow and the tree tops – ah well I guess that means there is another trip in my future!

On my first foray up the fire tower and to the west I was struck a rather beautiful moonset in the hazy, clear blue sky

Of the three photographs below my favorite is the first, larger image with the profile of Windham Mountain in the background. I like the balance provided by the evergreens on the left of the image.

Then to geographically orientate the 2 additional photographs that I’ve placed below it, you have the Jewett Range which is situated to the left of the Windham mountain photograph and then the unmistakable profile of the Blackheads which are situated to the right of Windham.

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Looking back I can’t believe how calm the conditions were that morning and as I took a last look around before going down off the fire tower I was struck by the view below. The Spruce were so motionless and looked just like the little trees you can put in dioramas alongside railway tracks or Victorian villages! I like both versions – the portrait and landscape format – perhaps you’d like to drop a comment and let me know which you prefer…

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When the cold and the discomfort fades from my memory something that will stay with me from this entire experience is the stillness, the quiet, the absence of breeze and the absolute calm that we experienced on the top of the mountain that morning. I would have loved to stay longer but there’s a limit to the effectiveness of hand warmers in sub zero temperatures. Thankfully this time was third time lucky and I have the photographs to remind me of the experience

““Wisdom comes with Winter””

Back home in England winter tends to be frosty affair, it’s overall warmer, a lot windier, there’s not a lot of snow and when it does the infrastructure is totally unprepared. Typically most people own 2 wheel drive cars which just can't cut it on slushy, icy and uncleared roads. Getting out to the hills immediately after the storm is next to impossible unless you live out there, also the snow doesn’t tend to hang around long so by the time you are able to get out the best has been and gone!!!!

I do miss the hoar frosts though!!

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When I first moved out here I remember being totally gobsmacked at how much snow there was, how cold it could be and how quickly the roads were totally cleared once the storm blew through, then there's the ice ..... quite simply a photographers' wonderland, so it's no wonder that I have an ever-growing portfolio of winter images. The image below is still one of my favorites, taken a few miles from home on a frigid, early February day a couple of years ago.

Preparation

Preparation is the key to happy Winter photography. and before every excursion I ask myself:

• Where exactly am I going

• How much daylight do I have

• What is the weather forecast

• Is my location exposed with a likelihood of crazy windchill

• Do I need spikes or snowshoes or both

• What distance is the hike and overall elevation gain,

The answers to all these determine what I need to wear and what I need to carry with me. Although you should note that I never compromise on my photography gear!!!!

The video below is a glimpse into my world from earlier this week at Diamond Notch Falls in the Catskill Mountains. I was photographing the falls for about 2 1/2 hours with the temperature at a balmy 22 degrees F .................. (that's -5 deg C for my metric friends!)

Welcome to my office

The falls are along an old carriage road an easy mile or so from the trailhead.There’s a very gradual elevation gain and the path was covered with a small amount of packed snow and a lot of ice, so spikes were a must. I’ve learnt to start cool on a winter hike, even when the walk is something as basic as this. That way I can warm up and add layers rather than sweat and have to remove layers that are then wet and totally useless for further use in the cold.

I’m dressed head to toe in layers that are variations of alpaca and merino wool as well as a synthetic fleece body warmer. A couple of the layers have hoods and I also have my fave woollie bobble hat. On my hands I wear a pair of sensory glove liners with proper tech / photography gloves plus a pair of wool mittens in my pack to use at the Falls.

In my pack I also have a few packets of warmers for extremities, a full change of clothes and a windproof down jacket which I expect to put on at the falls. There’s also an insulated camping mat / survival blanket / first aid kit / along with a small portable stove to make a hot drink or soup . Finally I let Nate know where I was going and the latest he should expect to hear from me later on in the day, then I signed in at the wilderness register and set off.

Does this all seem like overkill, after all it was easy to get to and a well frequented area? There were 2 cars at the trailhead and during my time there I saw 5 other people - for a midweek afternoon in the Catskills that’s pretty congested!! But I don’t care whether I’m walking 1 mile or 10 for me it’s all about being as well prepared and as safe as I can be should something go wrong.

Composition in a Winter Landscape

Snow transforms the landscape into peaceful, uncluttered scenes of tranquility and I find that Winter conditions make for interesting, simple photographic compositions. Negative space and features shot to obey rule of thirds guidelines are already all over my portfolio but in Winter it just seem so much easier to achieve, especially in the cluttered forest environment in the northeastern USA.

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The image below was photographed at a salt marsh on a dreary but still day in December. It's one of my favorite photographs from the last 12 months or so as it really appeals to my minimalist soul.

Detail and Perspective

Winter is perfect for isolating details and I especially love being able to juxtapose moving water with frozen water. I generally shoot this sort of photograph with around about a 2 second exposure in order to blur the movement of the water yet still retain tonal detail to suggests it's flow past all those beautiful ice formations.

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In the following examples I've been more concerned to use color to emphasize the detail and enhance a normally monochromatic winter scene

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Another thing to think about, whatever the season, is perspective and foreground. In this instance the photograph is taken almost at ground level with a wide angle lens in order to place the gate in the foreground and invite the eye along the trail into the snowy woods.

To finish this quick look at my winter photography adventures here are some more favorites taken in the last 12 months. This first photograph was taken at Dover Stone Church near my home after a minor snowstorm last January. It's a camera position that I return to in different seasons but I particularly like it dressed in its winter finery. It's a composition that provides balance through the thirds, diagonal movement from the meander of the brook, plenty of those beautiful icicles and a suitably placed tree on the right of the image to keep the eye engaged in the scene.

When I like a location I love to return at different points throughout the year as it is fascinating how the view can change with just a subtle change in temperature. This is one of my favorite waterfalls in the Catskill Mountains, Plattekill Falls. It's not far from the incredibly congested Kaaterskill Falls, yet sees nothing like the same footfall, that's one of the reasons I like it, the other is the delicate horsetail that tumbles over the 60ft rock wall. These photos were taken in January about 3 weeks apart

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I'm going to end with a bucket list photograph taken from the Balsam Lake Fire Tower in December 2024. It's not perfect by any means but it marks a milestone in my landscape photography journey and as such will always be an important image for me. Hanging off that fire tower to take this photograph I really learnt about windchill and how landscape photography can't always be about taking time to explore a scene before deciding on a composition. In this case, I climbed the tower, was hit by a blast of bone chilling wind as I got above the tree line, I very quickly grabbed my camera, attached my 100-400 lens and snatched the shot!!!!

I hope you've enjoyed this little exploration of my Winter photography adventures and would be happy to answer any questions or queries that you might have.

Alternatively my work is for sale and you can either visit my website to buy online or head to my gallery in Pawling, ny to buy in person. See you on the trail. Finally perhaps you’d like to help me in my quest to bring you interesting landscape photography? I regularly hike and backpack in the dark in order to get to or from a location. To keep me caffeinated and awake please consider buying me coffee…. Thank you

Blue is the Colour

I've been a Spire-ite all my life and so absolutely have to start with an homage to the mighty blues of Chesterfield FC and our remarkable promotion back to the Football League in April 2024.

One thing I really miss by living over in the USA is my home town and its professional footballI team. The anticipation of a match, the opportunity to meet a few mates in the pub before the game, the thrill of seeing the floodlights as you walk to the ground, the noise and excitement of the crowd as you patiently wait for the game to start - The whole experience of a match day in years past has always been about the build up to a game, but for 10 glorious months it also became about the game itself as the Blues both dominated and romped away with the league... heady stuff!!

So to celebrate I thought a few "blue" photographs would be appropriate!

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It turns out that I really like a silhouette to go with my subtle blue layers!! These images were all taken during my travels in 2024. Castles on the English coast, Catskill mountain layers and ethereal New Hampshire reflections.

The blues of twilight provide the best opportunities to render the landscape into its most basic form and I really relish the opportunity to get to a location as early as possible. All of these photos except one were taken during the twilight hour - can you spot the one that wasn't, and any guess as to what part of day it was taken? (leave me a comment to let me know)

Chasing dreams in the night

I’m not a massively enthusiastic night-time photographer and although I have photographed comets, stars, the Milky Way, I normally prefer a bit of light to work by. 2024 was a bit different though, first off there was the eclipse, and whilst I didn't head north to be in totality I did spend a real nice day up on Alander mountain in 95% totality. I wrote a blog post about that so if you fancy a read I put a convenient link below this paragraph. Then there was that night in Acadia when I actually managed to get Nate to come out with me so he could stand around in the dark getting bored whilst I attempted the perfect semi cloudy, coastal night photograph. Then there was night hiking in the Catskills and a peculiar post sunset glow in the clouds on Acra Point. Finally there was the Aurora - and wow what an experience that was!!

The Pull of Home

Where exactly is home... you know, that place, deep in your soul where you belong. Is it where you were born, or grew up, or where you pay your taxes, or went to university, or is it time spent with family, or something else entirely? If you were to ask me I don't think I could give a definitive answer. Yes, for sure my soul is English and I long for the familiarity that I feel when I am at that home - those hills, those views, all that history, driving on the left, cars with a manual gearbox, petrol not gas, Saturday football, bustling town centres and now I've spelt centre don't get me started on proper English spelling!!! But home?? I've lived in the USA now for over 15 years and love Nate, my house, my village, my business, my gallery. It's a different sort of home to that over the Pond, but nevertheless it is home and tbh life couldn't be any better right now. So here's a few images that I've pulled together from my nostalgic trip home to England back in April.

There is always an Adventure waiting in the woods

Something I've been absorbed with for a couple of years now has been an ongoing exploration in the Catskill Mountains and 2024 will stay in my memory as a pivotal year because of a couple of notable developments - I've conquered vertigo when climbing fire towers and I've discovered the magical warmth from using a multitude of toe warmers when Winter camping in sub zero temperatures!! What a year to be alive!! 😀

I'll be honest when I started the project I thought the photography would be routine and easy, but I couldn’t have been more wrong!! The Catskills have developed my photography, refined the way I look at light, the way I think about composition, they’ve taught me to read the weather a little better and they've taught me how to work quickly in the cold at the top of a fire tower!!!. It’s become quite the adventure

And Finally

There's been a lot of moments this year which really took my breath away - if you were with me as I jumped up and down then I'm really sorry!!! If I was on my own then what happened between me and my camera stays with me and my camera.......

This is Rands View on the Appalachian Trail in Connecticut. It's somewhere that I've long wanted to see, but for some reason, until October I've always chosen somewhere else to hike. It was one of those unseasonably warm days that we've had so many of this year and as I descended down from what had been a nice but limited view at the top of Prospect Mountain I didn't really know what to expect. That's the thing about walking in the woods though, there's no sense of the topography until, blam, it opens out into this huge, magnificent meadow and a vista that is seemingly endless. I don't know who Rand was and I don't know who maintains the view, but it is maintained and they surely deserve a medal. If it was in England there would be a stately home somewhere laying claim to the manicured landscape, instead as I sat and ate my lunch all I could see was a farm off in the distance and a lone bear enjoying the sunshine thankfully at the lower end of the field from me. Now I've dug the photos out and reminded myself of this magnificence I really need to get back there to practice more photography!!!

This was taken not long after sunrise one morning last January. It's the view looking down Platte Clove towards the Hudson Valley and it was simply stunning that morning. I was on my way to a hike at Windham Mountain but as I drove I knew that I just had to stop somewhere to record what I was seeing, because it was so breathtakingly beautiful. Down in the valley there was no snow, admittedly I'd been driving in the dark but I swear there was absolutely nothing. Sunrise came as I got closer to the mountains and I could see that there was an abrupt snowline somewhere around an elevation of 2000 feet. Route 23a from Palenville up to Tannersville is a beautiful drive at any time of year but wow that morning when I hit that elevation it was something else, like stepping into the wardrobe and on into Narnia with the lion and the witch!!

As a footnote the hike up Windham was pretty epic too, but with low clouds obscuring the views from the summit that's something that I have on my list for 2025, so you'll just have to watch this space for them!

In the last few years I've spent many sunrises up on Cat Rock high above Pawling. However I don't think it will matter if I never make it up there again, as the conditions that morning were bucket list material. First of all I love a good inversion and when I checked the forecast the night before I was hopeful for a bit of mist in the valley along with a notable amount of cloud to make for an interesting sunrise. As I locked the car and crossed the road to the trail I could see that there was a bit of moisture in the air and hoped that the forecast would prove to be accurate. Half an hour later and nearing the ledges twilight was giving way to golden hour I knew I'd made a good decision. When I got to the view what I saw took my breath away, the valley was completely socked in but the undercast was moving and swirling, creating interesting shapes and making islands of trees on the adjacent hillside. I knew that once the sun came up and spread its light on the surface of the mist the results could be epic. The spectacle lasted almost 2 hours that morning and I took an awful lot of photographs (Some have already been shared in a previous blog post if you want to see more) the one I've shared above was taken towards the end of my morning up there and what I really like is the old grain silo which I've place just off the centre of a vertical, portrait format image

So there you have it, my tedious look back at a memorable 12 months - if you've read this far thank you for sticking with with me and supporting my efforts this year

All that remains is for me to wish you and yours all the very best for 2025 and a hope for peace, prosperity and happiness

Finally perhaps you’d like to help me in my quest to bring you interesting landscape photography? I regularly hike and backpack in the dark in order to get to or from a location. To keep me caffeinated and awake please consider buying me coffee…. Thank you