Crystalline waters cradled between Mount Hor and Mount Pisgah give Vermont’s Lake Willoughby a beauty all its own.
Photo Credit: Bob O’Connor
Another year has flown by, and as 2025 winds to a close, I have the great honor of looking back at a year of New England stories from our print pages. Yankee is fortunate to work with so many talented writers and photographers who bring our unique region to life. Among some of my favorites are dramatic ice climbing photos from Joe Klementovich (“Cold Rush”), Benjamin Williamson‘s exploration with photography students of Acadia National Park (“Acadia in Winter”), and Cait Bourgault’s yuletide take of the White Mountains of New Hampshire (“Peak Holidays”). Plus a homage to time and place with behind-the-scenes photos of the classic film that put Martha’s Vineyard on the map from Peter Vandermark (“Fantastic Voyage”). We explored Distant Hills in Walpole, New Hampshire (“The Garden That Keeps Growing”) from editor at large Mel Allen with photographer Greta Rybus, Vermont’s Route 100 (“Autumn from the Top”) with photographer Oliver Parini and mouthwatering food photography from Liz Neily‘s Vermont studio (“Soup’s On”) with recipes from senior food editor Amy Traverso. Please enjoy this gallery of some favorite moments our photographers captured this year. We hope you will also take away some inspiration from this beautiful place we call home.
Yankee‘s Favorite Photos for 2025
Alexa Siegel checks her harness for another ice screw as she leads the way up Chia Direct in Crawford Notch State Park. Siegel met the author while both were working as winter climbing guides; now married, they often climb in the White Mountains together near their home in North Conway. Photographer Joe Klementovich‘s unique perspective highlights the beauty of the landscape and challenges of the sport and season for writer Michael Wejchert‘s love letter to ice climbing in our winter issue. (“Cold Rush”, January/February) Photo Credit : Joe KlementovichNEWPORT MANSIONS (RI): The sheer amount of money that went into Newport’s Gilded Age estates (The Elms, shown, cost $1.4 million in 1901, or more than $50 million today) is impressive. What inspires real awe, though, is the exquisite artistry and craftsmanship on display here—a tribute not to the wealth made by some, but to the beauty created by many. This grand interior speaks to the beauty of another time and place for our ode to beautiful places from our travel issue.(“The Beauty of It All”, May/June) Photo Credit : Courtesy of the Preservation Society of Newport County/Gavin Ashworth“A monster sunset at one of the most iconic locations in Acadia” made shooting at Jordan Pond the highlight of the trip for many, says Benjamin Williamson, who found inspiration for this dramatic composition in one little heart-shaped chunk of ice. A master of his craft, Ben always finds visual interest, including this off-season landscape of “The Bubbles” in our winter issue. (“Acadia in Winter”, January/February) Photo Credit : Benjamin WilliamsonA profusion of hydrangeas in Chatham, Massachusetts, one of the towns that has gardens on display for the annual Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival. A classic New England home captured beautifully by Betty Wiley during the height of hydrangea season on theCape for Kate Whouley‘s home feature in our summer issue. (“True Blue”, July/August) Photo Credit : Betty WileyDos Gatos’s Seared Scallop Tacos from season 9 of Weekends with Yankee. I love the light, color,and composition of this photo from Clare Barboza and Gretchen Rude for a celebration of our TV show in 5 recipes. (“Season’s Greetings”, March/April)
Heather Marcus is the senior photo editor for Yankee. She works closely with the art director and contributing photographers to tell our stories about people and place in a compelling way. Living and growing up in New England, she continues to be inspired by the communities, the landscape, and the wonderful visual opportunities the region affords.
