Creators in the Wilds
- by Guest Contributor
- August 12, 2024
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By Lydia Spencer, Rosie Marketing
Driving through the scenic Pennsylvania Wilds is an incredible experience all on its own, but once you pick up a camera, you begin to notice all of the small breathtaking details all around you. We’ve come to learn that we should always have a camera in hand and ready, because you never know when you’ll come across a moment you want to document.
As artists, we are most importantly storytellers. Each photograph we take is more than just an image — it’s telling part of the bigger story of the Pennsylvania Wilds, and that’s a responsibility we embrace wholeheartedly. They say a picture speaks a thousand words, but it also carries the weight of conveying a story accurately and beautifully.
Light in the Wilds
Taking a good photograph involves knowing the light. One of our favorite times to document the story of the Wilds is in the early morning glow of sunrise. There’s just something magical about that time of day – when the sun peeks over the horizon, glistening off of the dew, and you can feel the energy of the beginning of another day. We also love to take photos during the dreamy “golden hour” preceding sunset. When the colors of the sky and trees reflect off of the Kinzua water, all seems right in the world. A big part of photography is picking the right time to go.
Sounds of the Wilds
An artist must also be a listener. Taking a cinematic video clip involves not only the light, but also being attuned to the sounds of the scene. In the stillness of the early morning, there are so many sounds to take in if one can pause to listen. The real magic is in the wind whistling on top of an overlook, or the birds chirping, or the river rolling across the rocks. Being able to capture these moments and sounds is one of the keys to making beautiful art in the Wilds.
Details of the Wilds
In both photography and videography, a creative must also have an intentional eye to the unknown – being able to be attuned to the details that the regular eye may miss. The dew dripping on the leaves, the way the sun bursts through a hedge of pine trees, or the little salamander crawling on the tree: all of the small details are what really write a phenomenal story. There are a million little details all around us at any given moment when we’re exploring in the PA Wilds – and it’s our job to showcase them to the world.
If you combine these three things: the light, the sounds, and the unknown – you truly can tell a story that is unlike any other.
My favorite memories of documenting in the Wilds are waking up early in the morning, grabbing my camera, a hot cup of coffee, and getting into the woods as the sun starts peaking out. I’m a morning person anyway, but documenting the Wilds coming alive in the morning is truly remarkable.
Over the years, we’ve had the opportunity to document some of the most story-rich, dynamic places in the Pennsylvania Wilds. Our adventures have included sunrises at Kinzua Dam, hiking through Black Moshannon State Park, and taking in the vast overlooks across this area.
We encourage you to immerse yourself in the PA Wilds and document the unique stories you discover.
Some of our favorite locations to photograph at are:
- Kinzua Bridge State Park
- Rimrock Overlook
- Bald Eagle State Park
- Cook Forest State Park (Especially the trail to the fire tower)
- Bent Run Waterfall
About the author, Lydia Spencer:
Lydia is a creative storyteller who enjoys traveling throughout the Pennsylvania Wilds and sharing the stories she finds along the way. She is the Director of Operations for Rosie Marketing where she oversees all client communications, project management, content creation, and manages the Rosie team. She is also one of the main creatives, does web design, and social media consulting. Lydia brings an organized and personal experience to each one of our clients. When she’s not working on projects, you will find her drinking lattes with her sweet husband and snuggling with their dog, Kono.
