A Photography Guide to the Woodstock Vermont Region

 

This spectacular image of the bright autumn New England foliage and farm fields beyond was taken in Woodstock, Vermont and is one of my bestselling images.

I spotted this composition after driving along River Road in the height of the fall season.  The tractor left in the hay field provided a perfect focal point to draw the eye into this colorful landscape of green grass, orange leaves and yellow drying hay.

This region of Vermont is featured on countless postcards and even shows up in the movie Forest Gump.

At 33 seconds is the scene from Vermont, Jenne Farm Road.
Woodstock, Vermont is about twenty minutes from Dogford Studios and I visit the area often.  Some of the most iconic images of Vermont come from this area including Jenne Farm ….

and Cloudland Farm…

As well as the popular Quechee Gorge area….

And the annual Quechee Balloon Festival which happens every June.  The balloon festival is a real treat for photographers.  Huge, brightly colored balloons floating above a beautiful landscape.  What’s not to love?

For a birds eye view of the landscape you can even buy a ticket on one of the balloons (take off times are targeted at 6 am and 6 pm) if you are brave enough.  The baskets hold three or four people and include a chase vehicle that follows the balloon, picks you up and pops the traditional champagne.  The actual flight path is determined by the wind.  Some years the balloons travel a great distance, other years they hover close by.  Just be prepared for delays if its breezy as they may delay take off times until the wind calms down.

The Quechee Balloon Festival

Father’s Day weekend – June 19th, 20th, and 21st, 2015
Once again, the skies over Quechee and the Upper Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire will be filled with hot air balloons ushering in the annual Quechee Hot Air Balloon, Craft & Music Festival, one of the longest running hot air balloon festivals in New England.
Don’t miss this exciting festival featuring over 20 hot air balloons, with five flights scheduled throughout the festival with additional tethered rides during the day. Enjoy continuous music and entertainment for all ages, and over 60 craft artisans and commercial vendors. Children’s activities include train rides, a bounce house and more. And of course there will be festival food with local healthy options and a beer and wine garden, with more surprises on site!

Seeing 20 or more colorful balloons fire up and float into the air is magical, something right out of the Wizard of Oz.  The Quechee Balloon fest is a unique experience because you are allowed to get up close to the balloons.  Just don’t step on them, get in the way or get hit by one.  Also watch out for the elbow of the other photographers!  Sometimes it seems like everyone in the region with a camera is there.

Other highlights of the area are the covered bridges.  There is a covered bridge right in “downtown” Woodstock as well as two other covered bridges in the immediate area including this new one that replace the one lost in Tropical Storm Irene.

This is the brand new Taftsville Covered Bridge in Quechee Vermont.   Its a one lane covered bridge in Taftsville Vermont which reconnects Woodstock and Quechee.  Based on the original designed by Solomon Emmons III, 1836.

Got to love that fresh, bright red paint!
Of course these are just some of the more popular and iconic destinations in the Woodstock and Quechee Vermont area.  As a photographer one must also be on the look out for little scenes missed by the tourists but capture the essence of the life in this area.

Bonus:

How to find Jenne Farm:

The Jenne Farm is in central Vermont, about a 15 minutes drive south of Woodstock on Route 106. If you are driving south on 106, go through South Woodstock, then follow the road up Reading Hill. After it crests and you start to go down, slow down and look for a small sign on the right hand side. (There will also be a sign for the Jenne Farm Road) http://www.scenesofvermont.com/jennyfarm/jennymap.gif