This certainly is news worthy, albeit doesn't have anything to do directly with Thomas Schoeller Photography. So let's get to it. We can add yet another photogenic scenic road in Vermont to the growing list of byways being restricted to local residents only. All of this is a direct result of social media, which has led to a trend known as "trophy hunting". I've seen this phenomena develop rapidly over the past 10 years to the point of ridiculousness. Around 2017, this ugly trend had become repulsive. Aside from the impolite tourist taking up the entire width of the road, and they leave trash along the edges of private property.

Open Edition Print - One of Vermont's most iconic visions is the Sleepy Hollow Farm in the tiny Hamlet of Pomfret. This is the alternative version of the artwork titled "Sleepy Hollow" as it is composed as a traditional horizontal.
Available to be licensed for magazines, calendars, puzzles, and can be purchased as a gorgeous fine art print.
The latest road restriction is Cloudland Rd. in Pomfret, a narrow unpaved sliver of county that eventually leads to the Sleepy Hollow farm. I've photographed this quintessential New England scenic many times over the years dating back almost 2 decades. It wasn't all that long ago that this location was known only by serious photographers. We'd all be in place at the crack of dawn to catch the first golden shafts of sunlight. We were in and out of there well before the locals ever woke up.
It was a rare occurrence indeed to encounter locals passing through as we all worked the scene. In fact, I had a brief discussion with a local Woodstock VT resident the last morning I was here. He told me "it used to be just a handful of people like yourself, professionals with tripods. They were quiet, respectful, they came and left with just pictures and you never even knew it. Now LOOK at this! They walk the road for a quarter mile - all day long - with smart phones just for quick snapshots as though this is a bucket list destination."
I myself haven't returned since 2018. On that morning, it didn't take long for the masses of tourist armed primarily with iPhones, to stream in and take their obligatory "selfies" to satisfy their narcissistic appetite for Instagram and TikTok likes and follows. To be honest, I saw this coming a long time ago. I won't name names but the largest influences contributing to an out-of-hand situation has been a list of Facebook groups dedicated to New England "fall foliage" and photographs in general. I've left ALL of the groups that require members to treat the posts more as a "news report" and provide specific location, and even the time & date so others can "see where and when the foliage is happening." So much for the artistic value of the photograph, right!
I've linked (2) informative articles to my notes above for further reading!!