A Monticello Christmas

This is a view which is seen in countless books and photographs
but I felt compelled to shoot this angle too.

Sheila and I had an opportunity to visit close friends in Virginia for Christmas so we spent the bulk of our Christmas week in and around Monticello.

The weather at Monticello was sunny and in the 70's... flowers were in bloom... the grass was green... the weather was typical beautiful springtime weather!

I started studying Thomas Jefferson and his architecture decades ago and had always wanted to walk these hallowed grounds. I have to say that this was an inspiring experience to meander through history. 

If there ever was a time in history needing a visit from Thomas Jefferson, it is today. I have always based my beliefs on Jefferson's philosophies and this visit reinforced my convictions even more. It truly was a moving and inspiring experience to see and touch all I had studied for decades.  

I shot hundreds of photos and I will probably put together an album soon. These grounds have been photographed to the point of being classified as 'over-photographed' so I had my work cut out for me to find new ways to show it in photography and art. Regardless of how often this property has been photographed through history, whenever I have a camera in hand, I am constantly on the lookout for a rather unique angle of view... needless to say, I left this historic hillside home wearing pants covered in deep red Monticello clay!

Since finding a new angle to photograph is virtually impossible on such a historic property, I chose to use unusual lenses as well as get as high as possible or as low as possible. We also had planned to be on the grounds as the sun set which provided some golden images. Luck was on our side... if it had been cloudy as is usually the case this time of year, I would not have had light working in my favor! I came away from this trip with some stunning photographs.

Our hosts were amazing, as usual. They made us feel right at home and we could not have asked for anything more (well... maybe some Christmas snow...). Thanks again to Perry, Kerri, Marley and Abby.