I love this time of year here in the Hudson Valley. The days are filled with warm fall sunshine and that wonderful first day of school smell. People are busy getting ready for the full slate of holidays that start with Labor Day and end with New Year’s, and the incredible vistas that surround the studio are filled with the most amazing fall colors. One of my favorite family traditions is our annual apple picking expedition to a family run orchard in Orange County, New York. Every year we wake up early and drive through the magnificent beauty of Harriman State Park and eventually wind our way up to the top of the orchard road. We spend the morning picking New York’s finest Cortlandt and Empire apples for homemade pies and applesauce. There’s something so gratifying about plucking a crisp, ripe apple from the branches of a tree and taking a bite, and nothing tastes better than fresh, locally grown produce.
This time of year I also like to frequent the local outdoor farmer’s markets. If you’ve never been to one, you don’t know what you’re missing! As a food photographer, I can appreciate not only the fresh from the earth taste of the fruits and vegetables that come from these farmers, but also the beauty and richness of color that their produce displays. You can tell the seasons are changing by the fruit and vegetables offered from week to week.
I feel pretty lucky to be working amidst the spectacular beauty of the Hudson Valley. With the mountain vistas, changing trees, and abundance of fruits and vegetables to look at this time of year, it’s hard to keep my mind from straying outside the studio doors!