7.15.17 + 2

East River Valley Park // Ames, IA

SHAMELESSLY SEARCHING FOR SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO FINISH OUT THE YEAR FOR THIS PHOTO SERIES

Apologies for being a smidge late on posting July’s trip to ERVP! This 15th of the Month photoshoot was extremely bittersweet. Two weeks ago, I moved away from the place that I have called home for the past six years and back to my hometown of Boston, MA. This last trip to East River Valley was stunning; and in true Iowa summer fashion hot as hell (95F, 79% humidity, sunny – the whole nine yards). That being said, it was a very welcomed break from packing!

Everything was still incredibly green and bustling, and the water was fairly high given the somewhat recent rain. While the birds were noticeably quieter, we spotted two deer along the northern part of the trail who didn’t seem to mind human existence for a hot sec before jetting back off into the woods.

The erosion along the banks of the river were even more prominent than in June, and I think that by sometime next spring/summer parts of the trail along those banks will be non-existent. However, being able to walk down the banks and right up to the water is always a blast!

After wandering around East River Valley, we hopped over the the other side of the river and walked along the trail to observe what the erosion on that side was like in comparison. The western trail is much wider than the east and eroding in different ways. It is clear where huge chunks of the banks have fallen off at the same time, and there was even a small, but noticeable sink-hole in middle of a paved portion of the trail.

I was able to sneak in one last hike around ERVP after this photoshoot before starting the road trip back to Boston with my dad, but I’m really going to miss coming here whenever I want to get away from real life. Thanks for following along as I tracked the seasonal progression of one of my favorite places in Ames, and if anyone wants to keep this project going through January 2018 hit me up! Who knows, there might be a book somewhere in this adventure.

Peace out, Iowa! Hello, New England photography ❤️

5.28.17

Story County Conservation // Ames, IA

Sunday’s weather was quintessential springtime in Iowa. Thus, part of my Memorial Day Weekend was spent hiking around and exploring the paths and trails of McFarland Park/Story County Conservation. One highlight of this adventure was coming across a robin’s egg (shell) along the George H. Clark Sr. Trail. There was a noticeable difference in the flow of the streams, as a result of recent heavy rains, compared to a few months ago.

I used my Nikon 55mm lens for this shoot; once again choosing to focus mostly on textures and details along the trails.

4.15.17

East River Valley Park // Ames, IA

Spring is officially here! During this hike through the East River Valley trails, it was amazing to see all the signs of life making their annual comeback. It is still early enough in the season that only half of the trees and brush are green. There weren’t many people out on the trails, which made for a very peaceful walk to soak in the sights and sounds of spring. The highlights of this trip were coming across a Downy Woodpecker, who I heard long before I could see, and the fresh beaver markings on many of the trees.

 

3.6.17

Portland, ME // East End Beach

Who says that beaches are only meant for the summer? After visiting the University of Maine Law School and grabbing some lunch (Duck Fat’s french fries – go check ’em out), dad and I decided to walk around Portland. Instead of exploring the downtown area, we headed straight to the water. After being landlocked for the past few years, I was going to the beach while back in New England – winter weather be damned.

Things we learned from our little coastal excursion? 1) Some dogs don’t care how cold the water is, they are going to sit in it anyways, 2) Some people measure distance in miles, we now know that it is exactly two West Wing Weekly podcasts, and 3) Sand takes forever to get out of your shoes (#worthit)

Now, go try and be as happy as a German Shepard with a rock on the beach in March