Solar Panels: Good Friends & Good Timing

Sometimes it's all about connections and timing.
Lately I've been seeking out solar panels & wind turbines to photograph and add to the "Alternative Energy" portfolio on my website.  
In these three instances, I was fortunate to have connections to projects that I either didn't know about, or needed help in getting access and permission. 

In the first instance, my cousin Jeff turned me onto row of solar panels that track the sun, near his home in southern Vermont.

Southern Vermont

Some weeks ago I was told about a huge field of solar panels in Western Massachusetts. After a bit of research, I found out that my cousin Tim is an electrician there, and Doug, an old friend from high school, is in charge of the facility. With these connections I was given permission to go into the area on a weekend, as long as I was accompanied by Tim.

With a solar array as large as this one I really needed a perspective above the panels, but no ladder would be allowed inside-for obvious reasons. The next day I was talking to a good friend of mine about my luck in gaining access to the array of solar panels, and lamenting about my inability to get up above the panels. (In fact, the first friend from high school was in the same class as this friend. They both went to high school with one of my younger sisters.) I mentioned that I'd like to get a higher perspective to show the impressive number of panels;  he then asked if a bucket truck would be high enough, to photograph the panels from outside the fence. Yes-As long as I could get permission. Permission was granted, and use of the bucket truck was confirmed, and since the weather was going to be perfect on the upcoming Sunday afternoon, we made plans to meet and photograph the panels with the truck.
(Unfortunately my cousin Tim couldn't help out because of a family emergency, so it was arranged that another electrician would "stand in" as an escort and more importantly from my perspective, for scale.)

Western Massachusetts

 In the last instance I had heard about a large array on top of a former landfill in my hometown of Greenfield, Mass. With the help of my cousin Larry, I was able to gain access; and with assistance of my good friend Steve, and his ladder, I made a few images of this large field of solar panels.

Western Massachusetts

Thanks to Jeff, Larry, Steve, Mark, Doug, Tim and Tim, I ended up with new images for the portfolio.

More solar and wind-related images can be seen on my website, www.jakewyman.com.