Through the Lens: Unveiling the Beauty of Nature

As you may have seen on this site and on my instagram, I always tend to revert back to where I started with photography and get gorgeous shots of the world around us. Nature has always been one of my favorite things to capture, especially beaches and I think this is because I'm usually my calmest when I'm in nature. Whether I'm hiking up a local mountain or reading and relaxing at the beach, if I have my camera, I'm taking a few photos.

To make these blogs a little more personal, I'm going to tell you a few more stories behind the photos. Because this is where my passion started, its where the blogs are going to start as well. Keep in mind, I can be long winded when I have such an open topic like this, so buckle up for the ride.

2023 Wings Neck, Pocasset, Cape Cod, MA. Source: Liz Wadman Photography

This isn't one of the first photos I've taken, its actually pretty recent. This is in my aunt's neighborhood down the Cape, and it's such a perfect little cove. The water leads to the canal and Buzzards Bay. The first time we walked the boardwalk down to this beach, it felt magical. It still feels that way sometimes, because there's a cute little path in the woods behind where I stood for this photo and when you leave the shade of the woods, you walk out to this view and I swear to god this is what heaven is going to look like if I ever make it there. Especially on the day this was taken, the way the cloud allowed just about a dozen or so rays to break through, it was honestly breathtaking.

As you walk along the boardwalk, you can look down and see what I feel like is the marine equivalent to a city for crabs. There's a whole little Times Square of them crawling all around the little tidal pools and pathways that could basically be their highway system. Last summer, we even saw a couple coyotes walking through the marsh area that's on the left of this photo. They may or may not have a den or two near the path you walk down to get to the beach but its fine. It's fine.

Lake Champlain, Oakledge Park, South Burlington, VT, 2022, Source: Liz Wadman Photography

During the lockdown from the pandemic, my sister and her now fiancé decided to go to her fiancé's hometown in Vermont to kill the time until we went back to normal. I had only been to Vermont once that I could remember, outside of trips my family took me on when I was really little. I never understood the appeal. Always seemed like Vermont was just woods upon woods upon woods with way too much wildlife for my liking. Love the scenery, hate the infinite possibilities of ways to die in the wilderness.

My sister never really came back from Vermont. She absolutely fell in love with every aspect of life up there. This past November, my boyfriend and I made the three-and-a-half hour trek up to South Burlington and as soon as we got over the state line, I immediately understood.

Our second day there was when we went to Oakledge Park, and stumbled upon this view. I understood even more why my sister decided to plant her roots up this way. Everywhere you look is a gorgeous view. The photo above is Lake Champlain, and the mountains in the distance are mountains in upstate New York. I don't know why, but I always love those moments when you can see what is technically a different place while standing somewhere else. Its like when you're driving down a really long road and you know you can actually see a mile in the distance. Things and moments like that have always just left me wonderstruck. I've never been to upstate New York (if I do, I'm going to the Catskills and finding the Dirty Dancing resort and you BET YOUR BOTTOM DOLLAR I'm reenacting as much of the movie as possible) so that also added in a layer of almost magical mystery for me.

Again, I can't explain these affinities or fascinations, just like I cant fully explain why I love taking photos in the first place. Also, this trip was when my sister introduced me to the amazingness that is Noah Kahan and his album Stick Season. Thus, this trip was the trip I fell in love with Noah Kahan and his album Stick Season. If you haven't listened to it, do it. If you don't want to listen to the whole album and just have to start with one song, I recommend the title track or Homesick. I'm sure his new remake of his song. Dial Drunk with Post Malone will be on the radio soon too.

Driftwood Motel, Old Orchard Beach, Maine, 2019. Source: Liz Wadman Photography

I'm hoping by choosing this photo, you have the same first thought I did.

When did I walk through a time machine? (Not because this was taken in 2019, but the style of the hotel. Just to make sure we're on the same page.)

This place instantly caught my attention because it looks like it was ripped straight out of the 1950s. I travelled to York Beach, Maine a number of times as a kid and they have (possibly had, its been a few years now since I've been there) a couple of hotels with a similar style to this. This trip was the first time I had been to Old Orchard Beach, and I instantly regretted not getting there earlier.

Some motels like this never update their motels to a fault, but you can tell these owners maintain the property pretty well and just stay true to the era. The paint isn't chipping, there wasn't sketchy, old beat up cars in the parking lot, and the windows were decently clear. They didn't check off the "creepy motel that exclusively bad things happen in" check list. Granted, I never stepped foot inside the motel, so I'm unable to confirm these theories.

Now, I realize this isn't really a nature photo, so Old Orchard Beach gets two photos.

Sparklers & Glowsticks, Old Orchard Beach, Maine, 2019. Source: Liz Wadman Photography

One of the nights we stayed here, we decided to hang out at the beach just behind our house. We were lucky enough to get a pretty big sized house because there were over a dozen of us staying there. Jeff's family had invited us on their vacation, and due to the number of people expected, they ended up getting a big house right on the beach.

His sister had got sparklers and glow sticks for us, and we basically threw a rave on the beach. We had so much fun the whole time, and this was actually one of the first times I played with taking photos in the dark. Jeff's best friend was also there and he is always down to do creative things, so he helped me place the glow sticks and sparklers. This was also one of the first times I ever had to shoot under a time crunch. We only had so many sparklers, and they only burn so long, so I was lucky to even get this photo. I didn't exactly have the luxury of taking a second to adjust any settings or anything like that because we just kept going before the rain rolled in and the fun would've been over anyways.

Old Manse, Minuteman National Park, Concord, MA, October 2022. Source: Liz Wadman Photography

Earlier, I mentioned I have a few strange affinities for moments. I also have an affinity for sunflowers. That's not strange, I know but its an affinity nonetheless.

These sunflowers, however, were extra magnificent to me because they ombre effect they made on themselves. I have a feeling that it was happening because the flowers were probably dying because I think it's the end of the season. I like to challenge myself to get more detail shots when I go on my nature walks, not just the typical landscape photos. I'm always drawn to flowers because they always have the most beautiful details in their petals that happens because nature.

Sunflowers in particular are one of my favorites because when I like to pretend I can draw, this is the kind of flower I typically do because they're allowed to be uneven and different with every petal. They're not supposed to be perfect so however you draw it, is how it comes out and that's that.

Now, I honestly didn't realize I would get so unhinged during this blog. It's been a minute since I wrote a more personal blog, so my brain just basically used this as a free write like I did in English class in high school. I also realized I didn't use a single photo of a mountain I've hiked or a typical waves crashing onto the beach like I normally use and im honestly quote proud. I inadvertently challenged myself to not use the typical photos I would normally showcase for people because to be honest, those are always the people pleasers.

So going forward, there will be more blogs like this! I want you guys to get to know the girl behind the lens and I feel like this is the perfect way to accomplish that. Read some of the thoughts that went through my head while trying to get these shots. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I love writing them!