It is 4:30 in the morning and Quechee photographer, Lisa Lacasse, is out the door looking for the perfect shot. “It’s hard to explain why I get up so early and head into the dark, but I love being in nature and my camera takes me places I might not otherwise go, plus the light is just so fabulous in the early morning.” Whether it’s a simple sunrise, kayaking out on her favorite pond to find a mother loon and her babies, exploring the back roads of Vermont or the coast of Maine, or just stepping out into her backyard, Lisa’s off on an adventure looking to capture an image that will resonate with others. Although Mother Nature doesn’t always reward her with that perfect picture, Lisa says “she loves the peace and calm the early morning brings and the challenge to use her skills to show her viewers the way she sees the world.”

Lisa, w ho has been a serious photographer for eight years, founded the Quechee Area Camera Club and frequently tells her members “to get out of their comfort zone, try something new and photograph your subject a different way.” Speaking of being out of your comfort zone, that became a reality last fall when Lisa’s husband Ken, bought her a drone with a camera, which she had no idea what to do with! In true Lisa fashion she put all her energy into learning how to fly the drone and took an online course to receive her Remote Pilot Certification. “I never thought I would be learning about airport traffic patterns, how planes land and take off, the military “roads in the sky” and how to read aeronautical charts; it was a lot, but with hours of studying, I passed!” Now, as a licensed drone operator, Lisa uses her drone to photograph landscapes from above which gives her images a whole new dimension and perspective.

Another incredible surprise was when the U.S. Postal Service reached out to Lisa last summer about a couple of her wintery red barn images. They found Lisa’s images through her photography website and wanted to use them in an upcoming Winter Scenes stamp collection. “I couldn’t believe it when they reached out to me!” says Lisa who had five images selected – the two red barn images from Woodstock, VT and Stowe, VT, and three images that were taken in Quechee Lakes. “I am so excited and honored that five of my Vermont images were used.” It was an indescribable feeling as Lisa purchased the Winter Scenes stamp booklet from the Quechee Post Office.

One of the stamp images features “Mike & Burt” the iconic horses that bring skiers from the base lodge to the lift at the Quechee Ski Hill. To make them appear larger than life, Lisa had to get down low to the ground so she could capture “that fresh snow being kicked up as they came right at me!”

“After the Snowfall” is another featured image, which is about peace, solitude, and serenity. Lisa wanted to make viewers feel like “you were walking down that snowy back road alone, when it’s quiet and the wind hasn’t stripped the trees of their snow yet.”

Lisa is big on memories and is always telling her grandsons to “make a memory every day.” Photography is all about memories too and Lisa continues to strive to capture that elusive moment in time in hopes her images make you reflect, smile, or bring back a favorite memory. “I love telling a story with my images and creating an emotional connection between the image and the viewer.”

Stamps can also be purchased online at www.tiny.cc/winterscenes. Lisa’s website: www.lisalacassephotography.com.