Fog is ever present on the trail – slow, slow shutter speeds but still shooting wide open, my favorite combination for shooting. Old and familiar all look different in this light, a light that happens rarely – even more rare to be in a spot to work with it.

No music on the way in, just the sounds of my steps on the frozen ground, the dog running silently through the woods. At the swamp its eerily quiet – no birds, no color, all life seems to have gone south or burrowed into a cave.

Walking back, now listening to Osher, seeing new light as the rain starts.

What a beautiful way to end the year…and prepare for a new one.

Happy New Year everyone.

Me? I got to walk the terrain park, lie down and let boarders sail over my head, dodge tubes coming down the hill at nearly 40 miles per hour, and convince a couple of tubers to hold my feet so I could shoot as we hurtled down the slope.

The park, which is open Thursday through Sunday is an amazingly good time…flying down hills and you don’t have to hoof it back up! They are minutes off I-495 in Amesbury, Massachusetts, and well worth the drive, though if you can slip away during the week there will be less waiting in line to go down again. You ask me, it’s a must-do this winter, no matter what your age.

And if you see me there ( I’ll be the tall guy in the red coat with a camera and no gloves), wave…I just might take your picture!

As my adjunct tenure at McIntosh College comes to a close ( for those unaware, the parent corporation is closing the school) I am so incredibly lucky to have as my final group a crew of highly motivated and talented photographers to work with. Talk about getting to go out on a high! Last night I asked one of them – Rachel Swain – to shoot a new photo of me for my soon-to-be unveiled redesigned website.

Talk about an intimidating task – shooting the teacher. Rachel quickly got over her jitters, we played with the lights some – I just couldn’t keep my mouth shut! – and after I monkeyed around with the lights – for those who are technically interested 1 strobe with a small softbox very close to the subject and 1 strobe with a snoot powered way up and behind and to the side – I shot a quick frame of Rachel to see what was happening – WOW!!! Even she loved it.

She then went on to get an excellent photo of me and we went home very happy – a successful class, no doubt about it.

Rachel in studio - test shot

photo by Rachel Swain, McIntosh College student and soon-to-be incredible portrait artist!

Its no surprise the day ended so well – it started with a walk on the beach – ANY day on the beach is a great day – with wife, daughter and dog. Hard to know who enjoyed the beach more if its even possible to measure. There’s still a snow line above the tide line and the weather was nothing short of incredible.

Eliza on the sandpile

Chasing a ball on the beach

Winter beach

After the wave 1

After the wave 2

After the wave 3

As we walked by a frozen beaver pond she remarked that it had been a great winter – lots of snow, cold, no slush. It made me think about the complaining I’ve done this season because, you know, she is right – its been a great winter. Lots of snow, cold, no slush.

Made me appreciate perspective and what I’ve got.

The economy may be in the tank but we’ve got it pretty good – as we suffer through the recession, depression, whatever you want to call it, we still have it better than so many other places in the world – its just we’ve come to expect luxury.

Perspective, what a great thing.

Thanks Donna.