A New Chapter with Vermont Tourism

By Caleb Kenna

In January 2025, I began a new chapter in my photographic journey—working on contract with Vermont Tourism to provide monthly photographs and videos that showcase the state’s unique landscapes, towns, and way of life. In many ways, it feels like I’ve been preparing for this assignment my entire career. Over the years, I’ve documented Vermont for publications such as Vermont Life, The New York Times, Boston Globe, Rutland Herald, Addison Independent, Vermont Land Trust, and many others.

Thanks to decades spent exploring Vermont’s backroads, annual traditions, and charismatic people, I bring a deep understanding of the state’s seasonal rhythms. Each month offers its own visual poetry.

In January, the short, cold days are sometimes blessed with fresh snow. At Rikert Outdoor Center in Ripton, I head out from Middlebury on a bluebird day. There, I run into Carl Robinson, local bike shop owner, just after he’s groomed the cross-country ski and fat bike trails. I persuade him to ride his mountain bike through fresh powder in front of the historic Bread Loaf Inn. Later, I meet James and Liz from Cornwall, out for a brisk Nordic ski.

Another day, I visit the iconic Lake Morey Skating Trail in Fairlee—a four-mile groomed loop on ice. A father and son play hockey while others glide along in special Nordic skates, carving paths on the endless frozen surface.

That same day, I pass through East Topsham, a village that looks like it leapt straight from the pages of Vermont Life. I cap off the day snowboarding and photographing night skiing at Bolton Valley as the sun sets over Lake Champlain.

In March, the snow begins to melt and the days stretch longer. It’s sugaring season in the Green Mountains. I stop in to see George Crane in New Haven—a familiar face I’ve photographed over the years—hard at work boiling sap.

April brings spring runoff down the New Haven River, where kayakers take the plunge over the 15-foot drop at Bartlett Falls.

Clear spring mornings pull me out early, chasing moody golden-hour light over the rolling landscapes of Addison County—one of my favorite regions to photograph.

While I’ve focused heavily on drone photography in recent years, this new assignment has reconnected me with my roots in photojournalism. I’m combining the old-school techniques of my Nikon DSLR with the aerial perspectives of modern drones to create a fuller, more layered visual narrative of Vermont.