New England's Fleeting Winter Wonderland

Partridge Brook Coating

Last week I awoke one morning to discover that overnight a dusting of snow had left a coating of white on the ground and trees.  It wasn’t much, but as I looked out of the window, I was aware of two important things.  First, the “storm” had resulted in a lovely frosting of the bare November branches. Secondly, the temperature was 38 degrees, meaning that all that beautiful snow would soon be falling from the trees.

I have previously discussed the importance of capturing winter storms while the snow is still sticking to the branches. We call this the “winter wonderland” time. The snow-covered landscape is always beautiful, but the magic of winter scenes is always best captured with the fresh frosting.

On Tuesday morning, with the temperature above freezing, I knew that the snow would soon be falling from the branches.  It wasn’t the most beautiful storm, but I thought it would be a good opportunity to contrast winter wonderland with the ordinary bare branch aftermath.

I knew that I didn’t have much time, so I headed out toward Westmoreland among the pastures that lie below Spofford Village.  The snow was already dropping, but I was able to capture a bit of the “wonderland” along Partridge Brook.  Further downstream, I used an old pasture bridge and snow bound farm equipment as foregrounds.  One of my favorite barns was also nearby.  I wanted to return to the locations later in the day, so I stomped rough markers in to the snow and then headed home for breakfast.

Before and After

I was back just a couple of hours later.  The winter wonderland was gone, and I set about grabbing my comparison images.  My views weren’t perfectly matched, but I think the point was made.  It is amazing how just a few hours can change the feel of a scene.

After the Drop

Location Location Location

On Hurricane Road

Not only time, but location can affect what we see.  After all, this IS New England, and the variable conditions is one thing that make makes our photography so dynamic.  After capturing my “Un-Wonderland” images, I headed in to Keene by way of Hurricane Road.  This road travels over a hill and with the elevation returned the winter wonderland coating.  The snow was coming off the trees in large clumps, but I was still able to catch a touch more magic before descending to the nearly snowless Keene Central Square.

Falling Clumps, Hurricane Road, Keene New Hampshire

Waiting for Snow, Keene's Central Square

This is what I love about New England. If you know what to look for, in just a few hours or a few miles, you can experience a wide variety of landscapes and weather.  Our “wait a minute” weather is just one of the special treasures of New England photography. 

Jeffrey Newcomer

www.partridgebrookreflections.com

A Snowy Morning Ride

On Wednesday of this week I awoke to a lovely coating of white.  About 4-5 inches of light fluffy snow had fallen overnight and the temperature was cold enough to keep most of it clinging to the trees.  There was still a light flurry and I was anxious to get out to explore while everything was fresh, but I had to take care of my usual routine duties. I filled the bird feeders, prepared a quick breakfast and of course managed a cup of my favorite Tanzanian Peaberry Coffee.  I have been hooked on Peaberry since our trip to the coffee plantations of Costa Rica. Finally, I had to clear the snow from the driveway.

My priority goals for the day were to go to the bank and hit the gym.  I also needed to help Michael take down the chairs and tables from my Lightroom Class at Monadnock Imaging in Keene, New Hampshire.  Unfortunately, the travel over Chesterfield Hill was paralyzed by the snow and I couldn’t get in until after noon.

Of course, when I finally headed out, I was hobbled by the “Winter Wonderland” beauty along the road. I worked my way into town first along back roads, around Stonewall Farm in Keene, NH. 

Snap Moments

Grimes Brook Snap

As I drifted along, I was reminded about one of my favorite phenomena of road-side photography, the “Snap” Moments. The views along wooded back roads are often clogged with dense road-side trees, making any sense of depth impossible, but occasionally, as I float along, scanning right and left, an opening will flash by revealing an interesting perspective.  For just a second, the scene can snap to a view of interesting foreground and a complimentary background.  I swear, when these magic scenes pop into view I hear a soft “Snap”, and then the magic is gone.  The snap moments are not just openings in the forests.  It also occurs when the foreground and background elements suddenly come into alignment with a flash of recognition. These magical moments can occur without warning, but they can also be anticipated from special situations.  As I approach fields I always watch carefully for even the smallest openings that might reveal a lonely tree, rocks or perhaps animals grazing in the pasture.  I look for roadside railings that could mark an interesting raven or perhaps a brook flowing under the road. 

Farm buildings can also provide a nice colorful break from the monotony of the passing trees. I find it relaxing to scan the forest for the "snaps", but I must occasionally remind myself to check to see if I am going off the road. Lonely back roads are the best for this kind of scanning, since, on busier lanes, it is all too common to suddenly find yourself with a line of impatient drivers following close behind.

Left, Right and Snap

On my exploration of the roads around Stonewall Farm, I did my share of scanning for snaps.  The snow was falling and there was a soft overcast light, I had to stop (safely) off the road and take time to slowly explore the lovely forest “dark and deep”.  But I had “promises to keep” and had to move on.

I enjoyed shooting around Stonewall Farm’s back buildings, especially where the red structures contrasted with the trees and the glistening white, and the detail of farm equipment carried a creamy frosting of white.  Buildings and streams offered their own snap opportunities.  The red barn, with the flanking Apple trees in foreground, snapped momentarily into alignment.

It was beginning to get dark, but before I ran off to the bank and the gym, I had to cruise by the Monadnock Market Place area to look once more for Hillary the Snowy Owl.  She was on one of her favorite poles next to the Days Inn.  I had to grab a few more shots including a cute glance over the top of the beam.  I have been hoping to get a few sharp shots of Hillary in flight, but the light was nearly gone, and my images were sadly blurred.

I finally made it to the bank and my desperately needed work-out.  I got home very late for supper, but it is days like this that are too perfect to be ignored.  If we did, what would this photography stuff be about?

Jeff Newcomer, NEPG
www.partridgebrookreflections.com

Hillary the Snowy Owl Visits Keene

Hillary, Keene NH, 2018

Rye Harbor 2014 

During the last couple of weeks Keene, New Hampshire has been honored by the presence of a majestic Snowy Owl.  These Artic creatures occasionally venture south, tending to arrive in occasional “eruptions”.  They are most frequently seen along the seacoast and my first encounter was during a particularly intense visitation back in the winter of 2014.  On that occasion I had to travel to Rye New Hampshire and Salisbury Beach, but was rewarded with several sightings.

Male Salisbury Beach, 2014

My first encounter was on a rooftop in Rye, but later I caught a couple of birds in more natural habit at the entrance to the beach.  These birds are amazing in any situation, but the holy grail is to catch them in trees or settled into the grass, and most notably when in flight.  In 2014 I was lucky to shoot the Snowys in all of these situations, although my one “in flight” picture was only a partial capture on take-off.  

Salisbury Beach, 2014

Salisbury Beach 2014

The Snowys were definitely worth the long, early morning schlep to the seacoast, but this winter I was thrilled to hear that a Snowy Owl had taken up residence right next door in Keene.  Given the fact that I am primarily a landscape photographer, I was initially able to assume a nonchalant attitude.  After all, I had photographed snowys in the past, and they probably hadn’t changed much in the last four years. But I kept seeing great pictures in social media and, since she was only fifteen minutes from my house, I had to check it out.  Most of the observations centered around the Monadnock Market Place and the industrial park on the opposite side of Route 9. Both developments are built on marshy lowlands on the west side of Keene, and was the focus of my search.

Red Tail Hawk

My first drive-by was unsuccessful, but since these locations were conveniently placed on my normal route home from Keene, it was easy to return.  I was successful on the second visit.  Snowy owls are famously easy to observe, first because they are calm birds and not easily disturbed and secondly because, unlike most owls, they tend to be out during the daylight hours.  All you need do is scan the light poles and telephone poles for small blobs of white.  My first sighting turned out to be a lovely, although quite common, Red Tailed Hawk, but I spotted my first white blob on a light pole in the Subaru parking lot.  When I returned later in the day , she had moved across the lot to the Hundai Dealership. 

Resting at the Days Inn Keene 2018

Two days later I caught the bird on a telephone pole across route 9 next to the Days Inn. The Snowys are wonderfully photogenic when seated imperiously surveying the fields.  She was easy to approach and I got some nice shots perched on human created poles, but I was disappointed that I didn’t get a chance to catch the bird in natural habit or in flight.  So I decided to have some photoshop fun and try to place the bird in a nicer setting - otherwise known as cheating horrible with Photoshop.

I searched my archives for winter photos which matched the lighting and which provided somewhere for the snowy to perch. 

Hillary 2018

I ended up with a shot from several years ago of a pasture fence in a snow storm and combined it with the snowy image at the top of this article. I wasn't trying to fool anyone, but the challenge was  to make the images blend together naturally.  I had to adjust the snowy’s color to match the warmer tones of the scene and then I blended in claws from another image to make the bird appear to be more naturally perched.  Finally, I made a highlight selection to capture some of the snowflakes and layered them over the “unsnowy” Snowy.  Ok it was all “fake news” but it was a fun activity, and not fake as long as I admit the deception.

Magical (And Make-believe) Snowy in the Storm

Over the last few days I have not seen our Snowy.  I fear that all the attention might have sent her to parts unknown, but I’ll keep looking, as I continue to search for that prefect airborne image.  Regardless, I felt  honored to spend more time with these remarkable creatures

*** My Mistake ***
As of  last evening 1/15, Hillary was still with us. 
Keep looking!

Someone Has to Name Her

Did I mention that, since no one else has done it, I have taken the liberty of naming Keene’s 2018 Snowy “Hillary”.  Let me assure my conservative friends, that Hillary is just a name.  The bird ia apolitical and  IS a female, and I refused to call her “Kelly Anne”.  I promise, if we get a male next year we can name him “Sh**hole”.

Jeff Newcomer, NEPG

www.partridgebrookreflections.com

2017 Autumn Gallery

Riverside Trail, Keene NH

Golden Wall, Newfane Vt

Given all the recent wind and rain, we have definitely drifted into stick season.  It is time to work my way through all the brilliant fall foliage pictures.  This year the task is sadly reduced, first because the foliage was spotty and dull, and secondly because I missed the first half of the season exploring the beauty of Italy. Again, it would be inappropriate for me to complain.  Our tour was fabulous, and I returned with plenty of “foreign” images to work through, but I did feel the need to get out as much as possible to catch the remaining autumn color of New England’s unique season.  Especially up north on Lake Como, near the Swiss border, we saw a smattering of color, but kept people asking whether the foliage in New England really was as spectacular as it appeared.  What could I Say: “Il fogliame è magico”.

Barn at Sunset, Walpole, NH

Deep Red, Spofford NH

Early November Color, Chesterfield NH

Sweet Harvest, Townsend, Vt

I got a quick start.  Just a day after my arduous thirty-hour trip home, I had to start my second annual Fall Foliage Workshop.  I had a great group of people, whose enthusiasm helped to jolt me out of my jet-lagged funk.  I have already shared some of the images from the workshop weekend, but here I wanted to hang a bunch of my other foliage pictures.  

River Red, Hinsdale NH

Hot Corner, Chesterfield, NH

Ashuelot Edge, Keene NH

Autumn Bale, Keene, NH

More Classes

October Harras, Chesterfield NH

Immediately after my workshop, I had to start preparing for my Introduction to Digital Photography course at Keene Community Education.  After so many times, you would think that the prep would be easier, but every year I try to improve and update the classes.  My first goal is always to find a way to simplify by eliminating some of my slide, but I always seem to add more.

Autumn Burst, Keene NH

Autumn Afternoon, Dummerston Vt.

Empire Bunch, Putney Vt.

Autumn Contrast, Chesterfield NH

It has become a annual tradition for me to use a blog article to splash a little color onto the our bleak November grays.  So here, without much fanfare or expostulation, is a few of my favorites for this year’s autumn gold.  It turned out that, if you looked hard enough the color was out there.

Thank you for looking with me.

Late Red, Spofford NH

October Crossing, Keene NH

Ashuelot Pool, Keene NH

Autumn Grass, Surry NH

Jeffrey Newcomer

wwwpartridgebrookreflections.com

Art in the Park 2017, Rain and Shine

Partially Packed for Friday Night

It is Labor Day Weekend, which means Art in the Park.  This is my one art show for the year.  The one time when I drag out my 10x10 pop-up tent and struggle to remember how I’m supposed to suspend my improvised hanging system.  

Ashuelot River Falls in the Rain

It is a long chore that is followed by hours of sitting while the multitudes wander in and out passing judgement on my work and, happily, occasionally buying some of it.

It is also the time when, instead of writing my blog, I am stuck In my tent.  So, this week, you get a short article about the  being stuck in my tent.

Aaron, My most loyal student

The annual Keene Art in the Park is organized by the Monadnock Area Artists Association and attracts a remarkably varied collection of artists from throughout New England.  Nearly 90 artists showcase a broad range of genre, including, oil, water color and pencil fine art, as well as  sculpture, and fabric art.  There was even some nice photography scattered about.

I have been participating in Art in the Park for years, primarily to show my work to my neighbors, but I also get enough sales to make the weekend financially worthwhile.  

Hanging the Art : Elegant System ?

The set-up is always a chore.  The Easy-Up pop-up tent is a marvel of engineering.  It really does pop up quickly, creating the standard 10 x 10 enclosure.  The difficult part is setting up the hanging racks that I have created from metal shelving attached vertically to wood strips.  It isn’t elegant but it was a lot less expensive than most of the fancy display systems.

Saturday, Beautiful and Busy

Everything Under Cover

Over the years I have been undeservedly luck with excellent early autumn weather.  It has generally been seasonably warm and sunny, and, most importantly, no rain.  That is until this year.  Saturday was beautifully sunny and cool, but on Sunday my luck finally ran out. 

Excitement of the Show

 Hurricane Harvey, which hammered the Texas coast, had lost most of its fury, but enough remained to anoint us with bands of rain on Sunday.  Happily the wind was gone and we were able to pull much of my work under the pop-up.  Surprisingly a few people actually came out to view the art, but much of Sunday was spent commiserating with the other poor artists as we huddled in our little tents.

Sunday, Rain and Solitude

Damp Oak Leaves on the Tent

Despite the rain, it was a successful weekend and, perhaps most importantly, I was able to get my pictures home without significant water damage.  It will take awhile to dry out the tent before I pack it away for another year.  

And tomorrow I will be hanging a show at Brewbakers coffee shop in downtown Keene.  The “Showing the Work” never ends.  And don't forget the Fall Foliage Workshop coming up October 13th -15th.  There are still a couple of spots left. 

Jeffrey Newcomer

www.partridgebrookreflections.com

603-363-8338