Two of my favorite subjects for photography are gates and paths. This photo, taken in the Palace Gardens of Colonial Williamsburg, has both. As a special bonus, it also includes a hedge maze 1 just on the other side of the portal. In the far background is a set of stairs which climb the old ice house, which might be one of my favorite spots in the entire historic area. From the observation perch on top of the ice house mount one can get a clear view of the maze, some of the gardens, and the palace in the distance. It’s tucked far back into the recesses of the Historic Area, which makes it even more calm than the already laid back pace of the museum.
If you ever happen to visit Colonial Williamsburg 2, be sure to make time to wander the gardens. I didn’t discover the ice house mount during my first few visits, and even this past trip I found myself wandering down a path which I’d not walked before 3. The Palace Gardens are one of the greatest delights of the Colonial Williamsburg experience.
Nikon D7000 with 18-105mm lens
24 mm
ISO 400
ƒ/8
1/800 sec
Painfully Hopeful 