Ever since I was little, I have enjoyed the outdoors, camping, and the general peacefulness of nature and the the wilderness. Seeking that escape, in August of last year I headed out to the Adirondacks (also known as Adirondack Park). My Aunt and Uncle have a cabin there and I was looking for a place to stay while I got a feel for the area and decided on where I wanted to come back to for some backcountry hiking and camping. The temperatures are much cooler than those of the city or the Jersey Shore, there is absolute quiet, and there is virtually no light pollution. Provided the weather is good, this allows for clear views of the Milky Way as well as millions of stars. The park was established in 1892 by the state of NY as a way to preserve the natural resources of the region and is the largest park in the lower 48 states. (My favorite place thus far, Alaska, boasts larger parks) But, just how large is it? At 6.1 million acres, if you combine Yosemite, Yellowstone, Glacier, Grand Canyon and the Great Smoky National Parks, Adirondack Park would still have more area. And it is only a few hours from Jersey shore points.
The area is beautiful, and I would be impressed if anyone was able to spend time there without shedding some of the stress that life seems to heap on our shoulders. During my short visit there, I found cool crystal clear lakes, dense ferns and plenty of forest to enjoy. One morning, upon waking, I went down to the water to enjoy the beginning day. The lake was perfectly smooth and the cool water helped to form fog as the sun began to heat everything, creating the scene you see in this photograph. The fog didn’t last long, but it set the tone of my mood for the day. I felt an amazing calm come over me, and as I watched everything take shape, I envisioned what the final print would look like and then framed up the scene in my camera to make the exposure. I wanted to give the feeling that the viewer was right on the lake, right there with me, so I went out on a dock that was supported with floats. Careful inspection of the print reveals a few ripples in the water; this is from the dock moving a bit just seconds before the photograph was made.
You can see this photograph and others along with the various notecard options on my website at www.colinseitzphotography.com.
