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| Spofford Village Spring |
As the spring
foliage in the Monadnock region has grown and matured to its settled summer
green, it seems a good time for me to finish my “Spring Photography, Get Out of
Isolation” series with a look at the richly varied hues of our early
foliage. Spring is a short but remarkable time for photography.
Much like autumn, which marks a brief transition from the extremes of summer
warmth and the cold dormant months of winter, spring is the seasonal inflection
point back to growth. Both autumn and spring are brief times of change,
but for all the momentary beauty of the fall colors, I believe that spring is more
varied and interesting and has its own special attractions.
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| Westmoreland NH |
Over the last couple of months, I have tried to show how
photography can help provide an escape from the claustrophobia of our
difficult, but important, period of self-imposed quarantine. With sensible
precautions, nature and landscape photography can be safely pursued and while
we are all carefully distancing from each other, we can still closely approach
the glories of spring, especially with macro photography.
Spring Isolation Series
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| Partridge Brook Spofford NH |
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| Park Hill, Westmoreland NH |
In my early articles, I focused on the fantastic explosion of
early buds, as our trees and shrubs rushed to begin their short season of
photosynthesis. I concentrated on macro photography, both outdoors and in
the controlled environs of my studio. This week I will celebrate the wide
range of colors, mostly greens, that are on display for just a few days, from
when the foliage first appears, until the chlorophylls settle into their, rich,
maximally photosynthetic, greens. This is a period about as short as that
of the peak fall colors, and I find that it is just as spectacular.
As the leaves first arrive, they appear as a subtle dusting
of color against the stark network of branches and often show a wide range of
colors from deep red to orange and warm yellows. The variety of colors are
usually best on the hillsides in diffuse overcast light, but as is true in the autumn,
the spring colors are often most dramatic when seen in bright trans-illumination.
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| Connecticut River Westmoreland NH |
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| My restricted foliage view while stranded on our deck |
One of favorite times of spring is when the leaves have
expanded to cover much of the underlying branches, but before their colors have
settled. It is during this time that, on a hillside, a wide range of
greens can be appreciated. Sadly, this year it was precisely during this
magic few days that I was frustratingly stuck at home by and infection in my
knee which left me moving about on crutches or a walker. My mobility,
returned in several days, but by the time I was able to resume exploring,
summer was largely established.
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| Gulf Road Curve Chesterfield NH |
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| Roads End Farm Chesterfield NH |
What I show here is a few early images from before my
infirmity and several from the late spring color. I can’t complain about
what I missed, well clearly, I can, and have complained, but I am grateful for
what I was able to experience this season. I have many images from past
springs and look forward future seasons of exploding green.
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| Fire Pond Reflection Spofford NH |
For me, a wonderful new distraction has arrived. After
a careful period of self-isolation, Abigail, Grayson and, most importantly, our
delightful 8-month-old grandson Owen, have arrived for an extended stay.
Needless to say, for a while, the primary subject of my photography will not be
trees and shrubs.
Spring may be coming to an end but, sadly, despite all the
political wishful thinking, the pandemic continues. I hope you all stay
safe and continue to find relief and joy from using photography to discover the
unaffected natural beauty all around us.
Jeffrey Newcomer
www.partridgebrookreflections.com
As the spring
foliage in the Monadnock region has grown and matured to its settled summer
green, it seems a good time for me to finish my “Spring Photography, Get Out of
Isolation” series with a look at the richly varied hues of our early
foliage. Spring is a short but remarkable time for photography.
Much like autumn, which marks a brief transition from the extremes of summer
warmth and the cold dormant months of winter, spring is the seasonal inflection
point back to growth. Both autumn and spring are brief times of change,
but for all the momentary beauty of the fall colors, I believe that spring is more
varied and interesting and has its own special attractions.
In my early articles, I focused on the fantastic explosion of
early buds, as our trees and shrubs rushed to begin their short season of
photosynthesis. I concentrated on macro photography, both outdoors and in
the controlled environs of my studio. This week I will celebrate the wide
range of colors, mostly greens, that are on display for just a few days, from
when the foliage first appears, until the chlorophylls settle into their, rich,
maximally photosynthetic, greens. This is a period about as short as that
of the peak fall colors, and I find that it is just as spectacular.
As the leaves first arrive, they appear as a subtle dusting
of color against the stark network of branches and often show a wide range of
colors from deep red to orange and warm yellows. The variety of colors are
usually best on the hillsides in diffuse overcast light, but as is true in the autumn,
the spring colors are often most dramatic when seen in bright trans-illumination. 
