mystical
Mansfield The first time I saw Mansfield was from my backyard in Cambridge. I was 4 and called it “Mans Mountfield.” My family only lived in Cambridge for a year before we moved to Greensboro, but we continued to come to Stowe to ski and snowboard. My dad often talked about hiking in Stowe, and he always made Mansfield seem like a mystical place. I wanted to ride and hike all the same places my dad and his friends did. As I got better at snowboarding, more opportunity opened to share experiences with him, and I learned a lot about the mountain and discovered lots of places many people don’t know about. Places that I still return to year after year.
One of the things I love about The Mountain is that I still haven’t explored it all, so each year I add a few new places to expand my knowledge.
As a teenager, my interest in photography developed, and I eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in photography at Burlington College, and it was while in college that Vermont magazine published my first photo of Mansfield on its cover, helping to launch my career. Since then, I have sold countless images of the mountain to other publications, for commercial endeavors, and as prints.
Now 29, I still have the same passion and excitement about being on Mt. Mansfield. Sometimes I venture out alone, but I always enjoy the company of good friends who feel the same way about experiencing the mountain. Like my dad and his friends.
For that, I have the mountain to thank.
It always feels like home.
In my early twenties I started to read old books and maps, which pushed me to explore new places on the mountain, and it cultivated my interest in the area’s history and geology. I’ve explored the mountain in all four seasons and experienced almost every kind of weather, from sunrises and sunsets to winter storms with 40 mph winds. I’ve been at the summit in mid-winter at night to see the stars and photographed landscapes in below-zero temperatures. To be a successful landscape and outdoor photographer it’s important to understand weather and natural light, so I’m always on the lookout for opportunities to be on the mountain in unique conditions.
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But it’s not just getting the photograph while on an excursion. It’s the connection to nature and the excitement of finding new ways of seeing the same landscape that I have explored for 25 years. I always respect the natural surroundings, staying mindful of my impact on the landscape and wildlife, and never trampling the fragile, alpine environment to get the shot.
Nathanael Asaro is a professional freelance photographer who specializes in lifestyle, landscape, and product photography. More at nathanaelasaro.com.
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