Tag: New York State

Finger Lakes National Forest 8

Best Morning View

MichaelStephenWills1 Comment

Mornings are best for the west side of Finger Lakes National Forest ridge facing west over Seneca Lake. Set deep between hills, lake water is not visible, the distant land is the west side of the lake.

An abandoned church converted to Community Center is the distant steeple, marking the hamlet of Logan. I played a bit with the vista, moving forward and across, forgoing temptation to bring the autumn foliage front and center as this was private pasture, was 50 feet in as it was.

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Finger Lakes National Forest 7

on the trail

MichaelStephenWills6 Comments

Perfection on a horse trail of Finger Lakes National Forest, Schuyler County, New York.

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Finger Lakes National Forest 6

the long watch

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The ancient wisdom of trees.

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  • Finger Lakes National Forest is a patchwork of ancient forest, gorges and marginal farmland abondoned for decades such as this emerging forest next to an actively farmed pasture.

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Finger Lakes National Forest 5

leaf litter eternal

MichaelStephenWills6 Comments

During the series of Part 4 I caught this shot of fallen leaves with alternating bands of sun and shadow from the surrounding young forest.

Today, there is a patchwork of private land and National Forest. This line of color marks the forest boundary on the eastern ridge side.

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Finger Lakes National Forest 4

farmland reverted to forest

MichaelStephenWills8 Comments

In the long history of this forested ridge two Iroquois tribes visited this unproductive land for tree nuts and hunting, unproductive in that the soil did not support agriculture. After the Revolutionary War, the British siding Iroquois tribes were driven away and the land given as one mile square blocks to soldiers, in payment for service. Those who settled this ridge cleared the land and farmed as best they could. During the Depression era, many of these farms were abandoned and others sold to the Federal government.

Today, there is a patchwork of private land and National Forest. We stand here just across a border with a private pasture featured in Part 3. This is land returning to forest.

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In this series of three exposures I whittled away at edges to achieve the final result in this third.

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Finger Lakes National Forest 3

compare portrait vs. landscape orientation.

MichaelStephenWills1 Comment

In the long history of this forested ridge two Iroquois tribes relied on this land for tree nuts and hunting, the soil did not support agriculture. After the Revolutionary War, the British siding Iroquois tribes were driven away and the land given as one mile square blocks to soldiers, in payment for service. During the Depression era, many of these farms were abandoned and others sold to the Federal government.

Today, there is a patchwork of private land and National Forest. This line of color marks the forest boundary on the eastern ridge side.

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I positioned the tripod against the barbed wire fence marking the posted property. A few barbs and sear goldenrod flowers just visible in the lower right corner.

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Finger Lakes National Forest 2

compare portrait vs. landscape orientation.

MichaelStephenWills5 Comments

An open road, autumn morning, a hiking trail under a setting moon. Thirty miles of hiking trails thread these 16,212 acres. Some, like the Backbone trail, traverse farmland reverted to forest and meadow, popular for horseback riding.

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Finger Lakes National Forest 1

compare portrait vs. landscape orientation.

MichaelStephenWills11 Comments

The only National Forest in New York State, this land is visible as a ridge to the west of our home. Here we are on the west side, the ridge of Seneca Lake in the distance.

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Underground Railroad

Autumn Wonder

MichaelStephenWills5 Comments

We have often travelled Lower Creek Road as an alternate route to visit my son and his family who live in Freeville, a village named for the activity of the Underground Railroad. After noticing this sign in passing for years, this week we stopped on a glorious autumn morning to capture it. I had packed the Sony Alpha 700 dslr for just such an opportunity.

Just off the road, under a maple tree in full autumn color (yellow), ground covered with fallen leaves (brown) on a fine early October morning, the sign reads, “New York, UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, HOME OF WILLIAM HANFORD AND WIFE ALTHA C. TODD, WHO SHELTERED FUGITIVE SLAVES ON THE WAY TO CANADA AND FREEDOM, STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT 1932”. These dark blue background, bright yellow letter signed are found throughout this region and much appreciated.

An added plus for me is the acceptance of both photographs by Getty Istock. Click this link to view a selection of my Getty photography in and around Ithaca, New York.

Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

Father’s Day Visit to Fall Creek Gorge

McGraw Tower Bell Concert

MichaelStephenWills6 Comments

Walking up University Avenue toward Lib Slope, listening to the noon concert from the McGraw Tower carillion (a tuned set of bells), below the Johnson Museum turn left onto a footpath, follow to the steep trail down to the Gorge Overlook along Fall Creek. Look up at the suspension bridge and water powered electric plant. Climb back, turn right and down to Stewart Avenue for the view of Fall Creek Gorge, Cayuga Lake, the former studio of Carl Sagan, built into the gorge wall. In researching this topic I learned Google Maps shows the trail and you can “walk” the trail, Google brought the camera down into the gorge.

An IPhone 7 and video editing software were used for this post.

Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved