You probably wouldn’t think a parking lot would provide inspiration. However, the seed for the photographs below was planted when I was a student at UMass Amherst.
I often cut through the campus center parking lot to get to class. Each time I made this trek, I was awe-struck by the light formations that were created by the sun on the asphalt. The concrete parking lot had walls with thousands of small square openings that let light flow through to the ground. These openings were little windows you could peer out of to see the surrounding mountains and farmland.
This summer I found myself cutting through that parking lot again. I was back at UMass Amherst, staying in a dorm, and attending NECCC, a photography conference. The small square windows shaped the sunlight into designs on the pavement. I got down on the ground and began clicking my shutter.
NECCC consisted of different talks on various photographic topics, such as photographing water, landscape photography, and bird photography. My favorite presentations were the keynote, “The Art of Seeing” by Bryan F. Peterson and “Shooting for the Story” by Bob Krist.
Peterson is a great storyteller and really funny! One take away from his presentation was to not be afraid of using F22. Many photographers steer clear of this f stop because of light infractions. His point was, why would every camera company add an F Stop of 22 if it is not to be used? He showed examples of the photographic quality one can get when using the stop correctly.
Bob Krist, who photographs travel stories for National Geographic, discussed the ingredients for photographing a place. As you can imagine this was right up my alley. He illustrated his points with photographic examples and memorable stories. He also touched on videography with DSLRs.
The weekend included free cleaning for my camera body and lenses, photo opportunities with indoor and outdoor model shoots, still life, dark field glassware practice, and macro floral and insect photography.
I took a break to soak in vitamin D and became the subject of a fellow photographer. He was taking advantage of the lens-loaning booth, where photographers could borrow lenses and take them for a three-hour spin.
Another conference highlight was the motorcycle stunt jumper show by the Boston FMX Freestyle Motocross Team. I don’t typically photograph things in motion so it was fun to experiment with a different subject.
If you’re interested in photography I highly recommend NECCC. I was awarded free admission, courtesy of Boston Camera Club. After attending, I see the value in the admission price.
It’s always fun for me to go back to UMass Amherst because I have so many fond memories. If you aren’t a photographer and don’t have ties to the area, you might consider vacationing in Western Massachusetts.
UMass Amherst is set in a rural landscape. The surrounding towns have good hiking, rivers you can float down, and there are often interesting events in the area due to the five college consortium.
The consortium is made up of Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The system is advantageous for students because they can enroll in classes at any college.
I took a class at Hampshire College, where there are no grades. Instead, evaluations are in paragraph form. The final for my self defense class was to put into practice what I had learned, which basically meant running at a man in a padded suit.
The so-called “pioneer valley” has cultural and natural offerings to satisfy many appetites. If you’re feeling energetic, climb Mt. Tom or the Holyoke range. If you’re lazy, grab an inner tube and float down the Connecticut River. In a historical mood? Check out the Emily Dickinson House.
You can also follow my Sunday afternoon itinerary and head over to Bub’s BBQ. After you’re good and satiated, wander over to the Bookmill in Montague, which is a charming book shop/music store/restaurant. The old mill has outdoor string lights that will lead you to a dirt path. Follow this down to a river with rapids and dip your feet in.
Whether you’re lurking in parking lots to capture light beams, learning about photography at NECCC, or exploring the pioneer valley, you can count on finding something worth seeing in Western Massachusetts.
Travels With Alison 