Thanksgiving weekend brought me to a picturesque setting straight from a storybook this year. Here, in this corner of New England, nestled among the rolling hills and tranquil landscapes of Vermont, time seems to pause. And that was exactly what I had been looking forward to after a beautiful and very busy year.

I love the crisp autumn air and the golden hues, when nature is getting ready for the first snow after summer has left, and the beauty of the leaves when they're past their peak. Something is special about this time of year, and I can't quite put my finger on it.

I stayed at a beautifully restored barn, a structure that stood as a testament to time. Each plank and beam spoke of history, of stories untold, offering a warm embrace from the November chill. I loved waking up to the sun filtering through the large windows. My days were spent exploring. I ventured through the surrounding landscapes, each step uncovering the understated beauty that Vermont is renowned for.

As I had mentioned in my last blog post, I've experimented with different cameras and formats over the last few years. One of the film cameras I've recently purchased is a Mamiya C330. It took me a moment to decide whether to bring the Hasselblad along with the Mamiya on this trip. Eventually, I concluded it wouldn't be fair, as I am much more comfortable and familiar with my Hasselblad, and would likely reach for it every time I saw a "really good" shot. So, I decided to take the plunge, leave the Hasselblad at home, and bring only the Mamiya.

I don't want to make this post into a camera review, but I am pretty happy with the results. I honestly think the Mamiya is severely underrated among film photographers and offers incredible optics, an amazing close focusing distance and very sturdy mechanics for the fraction of the price of a Rolleiflex.

I know many Rollei lovers might disagree with me here, but I so rarely see a Rolleiflex without issues with haze (even with the 2.8 Planar), that I would rank the Mamiya between the Hasselblad and the Rolleiflex in terms of lens quality. That's an impressive achievement. The Mamiya also features interchangeable lenses. Its drawbacks include not being particularly compact and being quite heavy. For me, this camera is a bargain and definitely a keeper.

This Thanksgiving weekend in Vermont was more than just a getaway. It was a journey into the heart of simplicity and beauty, reminding me that sometimes, the most profound experiences lie in quiet moments. And sometimes, you can still discover under-appreciated gems, even in the realm of film photography.

All images below were taken with the Mamiya C330 and the Mamiya-Sekor 80mm f/2.8 lens on Kodak Portra 400.

Thanksgiving in Vermont