Jenne Farm, Vermont’s most Photographed Farm
Please Note, You can no longer visit the Jenne Farm. People abused this privilege for too many years and now all you can do is drive down to the house, buy maple syrup, and leave. There is no stopping on the road to take pictures.
Fall colors arrive at the Jenne Farm… (Pictures from a year when you could visit)
Well, Lisa and I made reservations in W. Lebanon NH in a small motel for Friday… Let’s just say we were trying to save money (and it was still 97$). We found that it wasn’t as clean as we would like… Check Yelp ratings before you book…
5 AM came way too early on Friday morning, Lisa and I (She’s a great trooper, BTW) made our way to join the gaggleof photographers at the Jenne Farm. Maybe I should call it a murder of photographers. Details on why that follows…
Let me explain... These images are all taken from the same hill overlooking the farm. So most photographers gravitate to this hill above the farm. So now you add 30+ photographers all trying to get what they feel is the best spot and you are bound to get some conflicts.
What has me confused is this, I don’t see 1 or 2 spots for making a terrific image of the farm. I see many different angles. I shot the following images from other spots which the main group of photographers did not have staked out.
It seems they are either afraid of moving and missing the perfect light or losing their “perfect” spot. I took a chance and photographed the farm from one side of the hill to the other, always trying to respect the other photographers’ line of sight.
Then another photographer moved directly in front of a photographer who had been standing in one spot since I got there and when the photographer complained, the newcomer
I guess he thought that he owned the spot or any spot because he got there early. I should have asked him if he made a donation. You see there is a red donation box on the hill and I put usually put between $5-$20 in.
The Red Box
For those who don’t know, there is a red metal box for people to put donations into. The red box funds are to cover the expenses of allowing bunches of photographers to roam over the hill. William and his brothers and sisters don’t make anything by letting you and me wander all over the hill to photograph this picturesque farm. When I talked to him last, he told me that someone even held a wedding up on the hill and they didn’t even drop-in $5! He still has not posted a No Trespassing sign but he could!
So, the next time you are there, think about putting a little money in the box. Or go down the driveway and park in front of the house. Up, on the front porch, should be various-sized bottles of maple syrup that they make there on the farm. You can support them in that way as well
Let me know what you think about the three images above! Even though I couldn’t squeeze in where the group had staked out the “Best” views, I was able to go all over the hilltop to explore different vantage points. I think I got several good shots.
Getting to the Jenne Farm
You can’t get thar from heeeAH… [Said with a Maine accent…]
As stated above, You can no longer visit the Jenne Farm. People abused this privilege for too many years and now all you can do is drive down to the house, buy maple syrup, and leave. There is no stopping on the road to take pictures.
Jeff Foliage Folger
Autumn is a state of mind more than a time of year – Jeff Foliage
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Nice article Jeff. Those first two images are exactly why I’ve never been to the farm. I look at it as an “inland Nubble Light.” As for shooting from the one angle on the hill. That’s where so many good shots online have been made from, so the “sheep” want to make theirs there too. I will admit that the herd mentality is very hard to avoid when shooting such an iconic location. You’re almost drawn to certain compositions.
I think, even though I didn’t get the “prime” spot, I still got some nice images. 🙂
Just as Jeff Sinon said above, I have not gone there for that very reason. I don’t want a shot everyone else is tryin to get. The shots you got are good. Nice to think oitside the box.
Thanks Michelle, It’s nice to see what everyone else gets and then the prize is getting something they didn’t!
Nice shots Jeff, I think the problem is everyone uses a wide angle lens on the scene from the Hill, I know when I get to the farm I am going to use my long glass to get some different angles and views.
Actually I use a 24-105 so with crop factor about 31- 128+/- and this allows me to get the leading lines. of the road down to the barns and house. I think your idea of switching it up with more glass is interesting and I can’t wait to see the results. 70-200 should allow you to stay in the county more or less