Landscape Photographer Conor Lahiff Captures Vermont's Surreal Side | BTV Magazine | Seven Days | Vermont's Independent Voice

Seven Days needs your support!

Give Now

Landscape Photographer Conor Lahiff Captures Vermont's Surreal Side 

Published May 25, 2019 at 6:00 a.m.

click to enlarge Pomfret, Vt.
  • Pomfret, Vt.

Version française

Burlington City Arts curates exhibits in three areas of the airport: the Skyway, the area above the escalator and the walls facing security for Gates 1 through 8. Whether you've arrived early for a flight or are waiting to pick up passengers, do take the time to look around!

click to enlarge Richmond, Vt.
  • Richmond, Vt.

From July through October, the Gates feature landscape photography by Conor Lahiff. A meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Burlington, Lahiff brings his interest in weather to slightly surreal photos of Vermont's natural and man-made landscapes, which might feature a red barn under the dramatic Milky Way or wispy cirrus clouds above rural dirt roads.

Lahiff lives in nearby Jericho but grew up in the Garden State. His love of snow and mountains — "two things New Jersey doesn't offer much of," he tells BTV — brought him to Vermont for college, where he attended the University of Vermont and what was then called Lyndon State College for his meteorology degree.

"I've always had a love for photography and art," he says, noting that his mother was an art teacher and artist, while his great-uncle was a published New York City photographer specializing in flowers. In Vermont, Lahiff's hobbies of hiking and snowboarding sparked his passion for landscape photography. And, he adds, "It's good to have some inside info on the expected weather conditions, as I can plan my photo trips accordingly."

click to enlarge Richmond, Vt.
  • Richmond, Vt.

Lahiff uses high dynamic range to achieve a distinctive look in his photos, taking three exposures of one scene and combining them. "Using this method," he explains, "I'm able to bring out light where there are shadows and reduce light where it's brightest to better mimic what our eye sees. Through this process, I'm really able to manipulate the photo if I wish, and sometimes I do just that, giving it a more surreal or 'painterly' feel."

Learn more about Lahiff at conortlahiffphotography.com, and find more information about Burlington City Arts and its downtown gallery and programs at burlingtoncityarts.org.

click to enlarge Pomfret, Vt.
  • Pomfret, Vt.

Burlington City Arts organise des expositions à trois endroits dans l'aéroport : dans le Skyway, au-dessus de l'escalier mécanique et sur les murs qui font face à la sécurité pour les portes 1 à 8. Que vous soyez arrivé à l'avance pour votre vol ou que vous attendiez des passagers, prenez le temps de regarder autour de vous!

click to enlarge Richmond, Vt.
  • Richmond, Vt.

De juillet à octobre, dans le secteur des portes, vous pourrez admirer les photos de paysages de Conor Lahiff. Météorologue pour le National Weather Service à Burlington, Lahiff transpose son intérêt pour la météo dans des photos quasi surréelles montrant des paysages du Vermont naturels et façonnés par l'homme, comme cette grange rouge sous une spectaculaire Voie lactée, ou encore ces cirrus qui s'effritent au-dessus de routes de terre rurales.

L'artiste est originaire de la ville voisine de Jericho, mais il a grandi dans le New Jersey. Son amour de la neige et des montagnes — « deux choses plutôt rares dans le Garden State », dit-il à BTV — l'a amené à faire ses études à l'Université du Vermont, puis au Lyndon State College, où il a obtenu son diplômé en météorologie.

« J'ai toujours été féru d'art et de photographie », confie-t-il, soulignant que sa mère était artiste et professeur d'art, et que son grand-oncle était un photographe new-yorkais publié qui se spécialisait dans les fleurs. Au Vermont, Lahiff pratique la randonnée et la planche à neige, ce qui a éveillé sa passion pour les photos de paysages. « C'est pratique d'avoir des informations privilégiées sur les conditions météo à venir, ajoute-t-il, car cela me permet de planifier mes sorties-photo en conséquence. »

click to enlarge Richmond, Vt.
  • Richmond, Vt.

Lahiff utilise une plage dynamique étendue qui confère un aspect unique à ses photos, en prenant trois expositions différentes qu'il combine ensuite. « Cette méthode, explique-t-il, me permet de faire ressortir la lumière dans les zones d'ombre et de réduire la lumière dans les zones surexposées afin de mieux représenter ce que nos yeux voient. Grâce à ce procédé, je peux vraiment jouer avec la photo si je veux, et c'est ce que je fais parfois, afin de lui donner un aspect plus surréaliste ou pictural. »

Apprenez-en davantage sur cet artiste à conortlahiffphotography.com, et obtenez de plus amples renseignements sur Burlington City Arts ainsi que ses programmes et sa galerie du centre-ville à burlingtoncityarts.org.

The original print version of this article was headlined "Art at the Airport, 2019"

Related Locations

More...
Got something to say? Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!

More By This Author

About The Author

Carolyn Fox

Carolyn Fox

Bio:
Carolyn Fox was the Seven Days calendar editor from 2009-2012. From 2012-2013, she was the managing editor of Kids VT. She currently works as Special Publications Manager for Seven Days.

Comments


Comments are closed.

From 2014-2020, Seven Days allowed readers to comment on all stories posted on our website. While we've appreciated the suggestions and insights, right now Seven Days is prioritizing our core mission — producing high-quality, responsible local journalism — over moderating online debates between readers.

To criticize, correct or praise our reporting, please send us a letter to the editor or send us a tip. We’ll check it out and report the results.

Online comments may return when we have better tech tools for managing them. Thanks for reading.

Latest in BTV Magazine

  • BTV — Spring 2020
  • BTV — Spring 2020

    We're delighted to have you! BTV: The Burlington International Airport Quarterly is a bilingual magazine — translated into French for our Québécois visitors — that highlights Vermont's recreational, cultural and dining scenes according to the season.
    • Feb 18, 2020
  • Explore Hidden Wilderness Along the Burlington Wildways
  • Explore Hidden Wilderness Along the Burlington Wildways

    You might not realize it from the hustle and bustle of downtown, the postwar suburban sprawl of the New North End, or the hip postindustrial South End, but Burlington is pretty wild. Like, Henry David Thoreau/Walden Woods kind of wild. Despite its urban trappings, Vermont's largest city hides a treasure trove of natural wonders. The trick is knowing where to find them.
    • Feb 18, 2020
  • Get a Taste of Vermont at the Burlington Farmers Market
  • Get a Taste of Vermont at the Burlington Farmers Market

    "Farmers market" and "Vermont" are basically synonyms, right? The Green Mountain State is known for its cheese, its maple and its dedication to local food. And in Vermont's largest city, the Burlington Farmers Market is a community fixture. A trip to the market is a weekend ritual all season long.
    • Feb 18, 2020
  • More »

Keep up with us Seven Days a week!

Sign up for our fun and informative
newsletters:

All content © 2023 Da Capo Publishing, Inc. 255 So. Champlain St. Ste. 5, Burlington, VT 05401

Advertising Policy  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us  |  About Us  |  Help
Website powered by Foundation