Guest Contributor: Sam Trombino

All Images by Sam Trombino

Sam Trombino is someone that does it ALL! Not only does Sam work as a Vermont State Police dispatcher and helps with 911 dispatch calls, he also captures the rural beauty of Vermont. His photos of the region are incredible! Whenever I see one of his pictures in my feed it makes me smile because he shows just how spectacular Vermont is in his style of landscape photography, and because of this he is showing you how to photograph Vermont!

Besides giving you the best tips and gear to photograph Vermont’s rural landscape he is also making a solid case that you should photograph anything you want to, no matter how many times its been photographed before. The landscape is ever changing and photos you take today may not exist in 20 years. It’s a good reminder to get out and get those shots that you have always wanted to get.

Make sure you go follow Sam on IG and reach out if you have any questions – he loves hearing from you all and really takes the time to help with any questions you might have on the area!

My name is Sam Trombino @samtrombinophotography.  I am a rural landscape, commercial, corporate, and portrait photographer living in the Green Mountains of Vermont.  I’ve been a photographer since I picked up my first real SLR camera, a Pentax k-1000 with a 50mm f/1.2 lens in 1978. I did take an extensive break as I resisted the move from film to digital but came back hard with my first Nikon DSLR about six years ago, I have always preferred landscape and rural countryside as my primary focus but over the years I have evolved into a more well rounded photographer.  And in this post I want to show you how to photograph Vermont and its beautiful, but vanishing, landscape.

When I first moved to Vermont in 1995 I recall having breakfast at a now defunct coffee shop in Montpelier my first week. I struck up a conversation with an old timer.  He knew right off from my accent that I was not local. He gave me some sage advice saying “Hey we don’t mind you flatlanders moving up here and all, but do us all a favor and don’t turn Vermont into what you moved from.” 

He was so right on many fronts.  The rural landscape is changing and our downtowns are starting to lose their charm.  The small mom and pop stores are slowly disappearing, 100 year old dairy farms are being diced up into 2 acre plots and the demeanor of the state is rapidly becoming more urban in nature.  I think that many people are trying to bring balance and have modern amenities but still maintain the rural feel of the state. In fact many towns in their local ordinances require new construction to blend into the current infrastructure.

Towns like Manchester and Woodstock are prime examples of keeping the Vermont feel with the modern convenience. The town of Woodstock is a fine example of keeping the character of the town but also adding town wide free wifi; many shops, cafes and restaurants and of course many photo opportunities.  It is a great jumping off point to four of my favorite spots in southern Vermont. All of these locations are iconic and relatively short drives from the Village.

My general photographic POV {point of view} is trying to capture rural gems before they disappear.  Sleepy Hollow Farm is perhaps one of the most photographed and iconic images in Vermont. New Owners have removed the classic post fence and gorgeous leading line due to it falling into a state of disrepair.  

That is the sad truth of Vermont’s vanishing rural landscapes. It is expensive to maintain these properties and they require a lot of care.   The Jenne Farm in South Reading, another iconic VT spot, has the property preserved in a land trust. Sadly one of the main barns is in definite need of some love. To offset those costs there is a donation box right by the road and they also sell maple syrup. If you stop by drop a few bucks in the box or maybe buy a couple of half gallons of Maple Syrup.

A rural landscape to me evokes visions of covered bridges, old churches, fence lines and of course barns in the snow. I tend to do most of my exploring in the winter when the crowds are thinner and the snow just makes the colors pop. And of course the sunsets while fleeting are more dramatic.

Southern Vermont is also a treasure trove of beautiful churches, a blend of modern and older barns and some striking scenery.  The ski areas tend to feed the towns but there are many shops, restaurants, and craft beer breweries in the area to satisfy whatever you are looking for. Vermont is also known for its  many white, red and grey barns. To see a vibrant green barn is definitely an anomaly. 

The Northeast Kingdom is another area with amazing views and attractions like Burke Mountain, The Inn at Mountain View, Peacham, and of course the Hillside Acres farm in Barnet.  These are all popular tourist draws. The latter has gone so far as to invite visitors to enjoy the view with the cutest sign and hay bales to sit and soak it all in. Regardless of the season, photo opportunities are virtually around every corner in Vermont. While fall foliage is the big draw these iconic spots are photo worthy any time of year.

The balancing act that  Vermont faces is how to preserve the beautiful old buildings while also moving ahead into the future.  Builders, architects, and designers are doing a great job creating modern barns with a distinct nod to the past. Here are two examples of such new construction.  In 20 years they will be weathered and still beautiful.

I am often asked what equipment I use for how to photograph Vermont’s rural landscape. The snarky answer is the camera in my hand and my eyes. But the truth is that a solid camera in my case a Nikon D750 definitely helps.  I often suggest to people learning that it is so important to invest in high quality lenses to get good results. I have several Tamron G2 lenses 24 -70 and 70-200 both f/2.8 and an 85mm 1.8 all are wonderful. I also carry in my bag a couple of Nikkor primes 20mm f/1.8 and 50mm f/1.4 and a set of neutral density filters. I have even recently ventured into drone photography with a Mavic 2 pro. Photography doesn’t have to be expensive but it usually is.

I want to thank Shannon Shipman for including me in her guest blogger project. She is an inspiration and always willing to help and support folks in personal and professional endeavors. Her website is amazing and has made me rethink my own set up.  And for anyone looking for back roads in Vermont I am always willing to help folks find off the beaten track spots and to help with technical and gear questions, just reach out!

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