southwest vermont?

[dpetersen]

I will be spending a few days in the Albany, New York area and I plan on a couple of photo tours(assuming I can enter stealth mode). How about likely spots in southwestern Vermont? A trip north into New York is planned, but I was looking for some variety.

DP

[Jim Grimes]

Take Rt. 7 and go north. A lot of photo ops there.

[Louie Powell]

I was in Bennington today. Delightful, quiet little town. The old First Congregational Church and its adjacent cemetery are beautiful. Another potential photo target is Bennington Potters. I was in the shop there for the first time this afternoon, and definitely plan to go back when work is underway. This could be the east coast equivalent of the legendary Gladding McBean in California.

You can drive south out of Bennington into Massachusetts - the first town is Williamstown. Williams College has a very nice campus, and while you are there, be sure to visit the Clark Art Institute for a serious dose of inspiration. You can continue on Rt. 2 to North Adams to visit the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MassMOCA) for a mind-bending experience.

Heading north on Rt. 7 from Bennington there are three towns worth visiting. By the way - you have a choice between Rt. 7 and Alt. 7 - you definitely want the alternate route since Rt. 7 is your typical boring, divided highway that bypasses everything interesting. North Bennington is a quiet little town with some interesting old architecture. The old train station there has been recycled as a commercial office building and could be a good target.

The next town is Arlington, and if you head east you get to East Arlington where there is a series of old mill buildings along a stream. This is a good spot for those classic rushing water pictures. There is also a nice covered bridge in East Arlington.

Further north on Rt. 7 is Manchester. Another quaint town - the Equinox Hotel is very nice, and the Southern Vermont Arts Center may also have something interesting to show. A (photographically) more fruitful trip could be to take Rt. 30 north out of Manchester. Stop at the old marble quarry in Dorset (best on a weekday - it's the town swimming hole on weekends and there are bodies everywhere), and then continue on toward Pawlet. Some of the old farms and buildings may be interesting. Just past West Pawlet you will find a sign pointing left to Indian Hill Gallery. This is a gallery that specializes in photography that is run by photographer Stephen Shaub - worth a visit, but check the web site to confirm their hours.

Finally, the other option is to head east out of Bennington on Rt. 9, the Molly Stark Trail. This road is scenic (as in there is a well-known shop perched on top of a mountain complete with coin-operated telescopes where you can "see five states" - on a clear day, of course). But there is also the quaint little town of Wilmington, and if you go all the way to the New Hampshire border, there is Brattleboro. That's the location of the Vermont Center for Photography, a great place to visit (open Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons only).

[Michael Graves]

I'm a Vermonter from way back and spent several years in Bennington. You can go through several boxes of film just around town if you keep your eyes open. The architecture is great and the river that runs through town offers some opportunities. Especially if you follow it a ways out of town. As one person put it, you can do well going north on Rt. 7. Also if you head west toward Brattleboro, you will find ample opportunity. Make sure you grab a bite to eat at the diner across from the deer park.

[Ted Harris]

As you go from Albany to Brattleboro along Route 9 you will find many opportunities. The first small town you will come to that has interesting things to photograph is Wilmington. Next, as has already been mentioned is Bennington and after that Brattleboro. Brattleboro is one of the last bastions of Hippydom in the country and has lots of fun funky stuff to photograph. We always go to the Harmony parking Lot in the middle of downtown Brattleboro on the last day of our Fine Focus Workshops for some shooting. I believe you will see some images from there that a workshopper, Jim Grimes, posted in another thread yesterday. From Bennington you can also head North another 20-30 miles to Manchester, VT where there is yet more good shooting or go along Route 30 heading North for more yet.

Way too much to cover in a short time but worth getting some in.

[Bruce Barlow]

Take Route 9 to Route 100 in Wilmington, and go north, young man. Route 100 is the prettiest road in Vermont for photographers. Make sure you get the obligatory image at Moss Glen Falls. Lots of small places to visit, many beautiful Vermont farms. Better than Route 7, IMHO. Bennington to Wilmington is about a half hour through the Green Mountain National Forest. Keep a sharp eye for wonderful beaver ponds.

You can also go south on 100 into Readsboro for a wonderful rocky stream just before town. 100 South loops back into Mass, and is good if you have less time to spend. Going north from Wlimington is preferred, if you have the time.