Each photo is a game of patience
This photo was taken at Annett State Forest in southwestern New Hampshire. I was the only person at this beautiful 1500-acre forest on this day, so things were very tranquil. It was a cold day, and it had just stopped raining. I hiked a trail to a small foggy pond. On the edge of that pond, I noticed that if you looked into the water droplets that hung off the nearby eastern hemlock’s, you could see a whole world inside. You could see the reflection of the pond, as well as the tree line reflecting off of the pond. I was amazed by the clarity.
Unfortunately, shooting water droplets can be tricky. These droplets are only available for a finite amount of time before they inevitably drop. It is also easy to accidentally bump a tree limb, causing the droplet you are photographing to fall. You work with your tripod to set up each shot, and if you don’t move quickly enough, the moment is gone and you have to reset. It is a game of patience, repetition, and timing.
Eastern hemlocks (sometimes called Canadian hemlocks or hemlock spruce) are an important long-lived tree species found throughout the northeast United States. These trees can take 300 years to mature, and they can grow to be over 100 feet tall. In the summer months, the flat green pine needles keep the under canopy cool, blocking the light from reaching the forest floor. In the winter months, these pine needles keep heavy snow from accumulating underneath on the forest floor, making travel for animals a little easier.
Did you know? Early pioneers used the hemlock branches to make brooms. They also made tea with the leafy twigs!
Eastern hemlocks can grow to be over 100 feet tall!
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