Springtime in the White Mountains means it's time for the lupines!

I've been photographing the annual display for the past ten years and have enjoyed every minute. (Except for the ticks, that is....)

Though Sugar Hill is the epicenter of the annual Celebration of Lupines Festival, you'll find the flowers over a large area. In fact, last spring the shot I was happiest with was made in Jefferson - about 40 miles away. It was also the latest I have ever made a lupine photo: June 20th. The combination of late winter and cold spring slowed everything down.

From year to year, the scenery can be quite changeable. I've seen areas that were once packed with flowers now only sporting a few blooms here and there. Conversely, flowers have popped up in other spots. Some lupines bloom much earlier than others, so a field that on first glance looks as though it may not produce much could be awash in color 10 days later.

Though I know the area quite well, and always have a "game plan" in mind, what actually plays out in the fields (and the corresponding weather conditions) can dramatically alter the situation. Preparation is important, but nature is in charge!

I ran up to Sugar Hill the other day for a late-day shoot. It was bittersweet; we are days away from a move that will take me far from my beloved White Mountains. More on that later....