LOCALadk Magazine

LOCALadk 24 After climbing and experiencing some fairly windy conditions on Tabletop, I made my way down and over to Phelps before ascending up and into the clouds of this peak. I came to the summit and was met with stillness. Although the clouds had all but shrouded the view of the surrounding peaks and valleys, there was an incredible calm to the atmosphere. The wind had all but subsided. A fresh coat of about five- to six-inches of snow had been laid out like a bed sheet atop the shelf of the mountain. The dark gray sky was heavily contrasted by this almost blinding sheet of white. Even though I was a bit disappointed to not have a view of the surrounding mountains, I was suddenly greatly appreciative of the simplicity and quiet this scene brought. It is here, in these kinds of moments, when the environment has a hushing stillness, that pulling out all my photography gear and framing a composition makes it even more worthwhile. These times are stories that we as photographers get to tell through images, and they are a gift. Once a picture is captured, that moment in time, in that place, will never come again. We have a piece of history to take home with us, whether to share with friends and fam- ily, to place within a gallery, or maybe just to hold as a memory of a moment that touched our life. Winter scenes and landscapes, especially in this more remote part of the country, take on colors and an ambience that reflect the frigid tempera- tures that envelope them. Not only that, but even the elements that are found within them are prone to becoming motionless. Trees be- come weighed down by compounding snow. The streams and brooks freeze over. The landscape, quite literally at times, stands still, almost as if time was brought to a halt. There is also a deadening of sound. The snow acts as a sound trap of sorts, and when I find myself in the thick areas of a forest or a secluded valley untouched by wind, the sound of the world around me becomes muffled, almost muted. In these en- vironments, there is something within me that becomes more consciously aware of the still- ness. It has a profound impact on me, but that wasn't always the case. It has been said that we are products of our environments. If we are used to a blistering pace each day, a life in the "fast lane", a life with no margin, there eventu- ally may come a realization that maybe we are allowing the world and the busyness of life to dictate our own lives. Over time, our heart and soul begins to feel the weight of this as well. My love for the outdoors and wilderness places initially came from experiencing them through vacations, hikes, and short weekend trips to get away from the rat race of life. Over time as I picked up photography and began cap- turing pictures of landscapes, I began to have an even greater appreciation for the effect the art of photography has had on me internally. It has allowed me the space to slow my soul down, and during the winter, I feel its effects take place at an even deeper level. When I stop to really observe and soak in these places from behind the lens of the camera, I allow the stillness to hush my own mind and soul. It brings a kind of deep healing within, and I find a sense of rest. There was a time in my life where my schedule was busy and full of activity. As a result, my mind was so overly active that eventually — through the never-end- ing demands that I catered to — I began to experience nervous breakdowns. During that season of my life, I realized that I was no longer spending time outdoors, nor spending time with photography, which were both passions I had held for years previously. Photography was an area of my life that I had a desire to cultivate, especially within the outdoors, but I had shelved it due to the opinions of others and the busyness of life. Throughout the second half of this year, that has all changed. I have made time every month to spend time in this wonderful place, and during this winter season, I hope to continue to spend good quality time within the Blue Line. There is something unique and special about spend- ing time in the Adirondacks that is therapeutic in its own way. Whether it is cracking the window for some

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