I recently returned from the Heartland, where I photographed Katie Beth and Greg’s excellent wedding and celebration in St. Louis. Bride, groom and their families were very gracious and kind to me. The weather cooperated, everyone had a good time and I enjoyed being a part of their day! More photos from the wedding can be seen on my Facebook page.
Author Archives: Geoff Hansen
Last Chapter?
Last month, I photographed Hillary Leicher’s bookstore in Randolph, Vt., for a Valley News story about the state of local independent bookstores. Named for Leicher’s children, Bud & Bella’s Bookshop opened three years ago in the same space where Leicher’s mother owned a bookstore. They’re struggling, but I hope the store can stay in town.
From top: Hillary Leicher, owner of Bud & Bella’s Bookshop in Randolph, talks with a passer-by on Main Street before closing for the evening. Nearing the three-year anniversary of her store’s opening, Leicher is thinking about closing due to slow sales; Leicher laughs with her children Adam, 10, and Kira, 6, at the store. Reopening the store in the space where Cover to Cover Bookshop was run by her mother Jeannie Ward for 16 years, Leicher named store after her children’s nicknames.
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Sarah & Harry
My friend Julie Ireland recently hired me as a second photographer for a wedding she photographed in Woodstock, Vt. The couple, Sarah and Harry, wanted to do their formal photos at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., where they both were undergraduates. It was fun to spend a couple of hours helping out!
Returning to Trenton
As I prepare to fly to to the Midwest in the morning to photograph a wedding, I was pleasantly surprised to see the Missouri Photo Workshop featured one of my photos from the week I spent in Trenton in 1995. It’s a cherished memory because of what I learned and the people I met. I had such a great experience!
Joy of Victory
The other day, I photographed a rescheduled girls softball playoff game in Bradford, Vt., for the Valley News. The host team — Oxbow Olympians — won the game in extra innings. You would have thought the team won the state championship, with their joyful reaction!
From top: Oxbow’s Cassie Hutchinson, background, and Amanda Wheeler hug on the field after the Olympians defeated Enosburg in extra innings in Bradford, Vt.; Oxbow pitcher Leah Hanzas, left, and catcher Heather White give each other encouragement during the close semifinal game.
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Jen & Kyle
Last weekend, I photographed Jen and Kyle’s wedding at Sugarbush Resort in Warren, Vt. It was a glorious day to celebrate their union. I was happy to be there to document the day! More photos from the wedding can be seen on my Facebook page.
Perfect Pair
While working on a story about the Windsor County Partners program for the Valley News, I was fortunate to spend time with Danny Dover and Jon Gover. Over the past year, they’ve been getting together at least once a week to do various activities from fishing to skiing, or to just hang out. I enjoyed making several visits to document the relationship they have.
From top: Jon Gover, 11, jokes with Danny Dover while fishing for trout at Texas Falls in Hancock, Vt.; The pair work on building a tepee at Jon’s home; They try on each other’s hats while spending time together in early Spring; A tradition of their get-togethers, Danny and Jon toast each other while having root beer, popcorn and clementines in Jon’s “Man Cave,” a camper damaged by Tropical Storm Irene.
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Jessica & Adam
As their ceremony began in 2010, Jessica and Adam’s procession was announced with a family heirloom at the Blueberry Hill Inn in Goshen, Vt. It definitely got everyone’s attention! Personal touches are what’s great about photographing wedding ceremonies.
Keeping Count
Nearly 20 years ago, I attended the Missouri Photo Workshop, a week-long documentary photography class run by the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism. Started in 1949, the workshop sends dozens of students and faculty to a different small Missouri town each year to spend a week telling stories. The year I went, we were in Trenton, Mo. The story I found was about David Schafer and Alice Dobbs, a young couple who were running a small farm with sheep, beef cattle, chickens and pigs. This is one of my favorites from the story; Alice got up on a fence post to count sheep in the pasture. It was also featured on the cover of the university’s alumni magazine a few years later, marking the workshop’s 50th anniversary!
Student of Sugaring
Isaac Barker, who is a senior at Thetford Academy in Thetford, Vt., is a serious student of the craft of maple sugaring. Over the winter, he rebuilt an early 1900s evaporator from the orginal arch found in the woods by a neighbor. With nearly 50 taps and buckets on trees near their home, the Barkers boil in their backyard. Isaac’s operation towers over my modest six-tap hobby!
From top: Isaac Barker, 18, of Strafford, Vt., adds wood to the fire box in the evaporator he recently rebuilt. The cast iron front and back — the arch — was found by a neighbor in the woods. It dates back to the early 1900s; Barker pours sap into a reservoir for warming it before it is boiled on the evaporator; Matt Barker, left, talks with his son about whether or not to borrow sap from a neighbor to continue boiling at the end of the day.
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May not be reprinted without permission