Spring Attractions 2025

West Guilford

Spring is progressing and I have been getting out trying to capture the beauty before it disappears.   For me, the season really comes to an end when the fresh, multi-toned green of the early foliage settles into the rather monotonous deep greens of summer. Surely, the bright spring flowers continue to explode, but once the variety of colors in the trees and scrubs begin to fade, I’m ready to move on to summer.

 

Guilford Vermont

Overall, it has been a good spring.  After a prolonged late winter “stick season”, the buds slowly began to pop.  As always, I love the variety of greens that decorate the hills and roadsides.  I call it our second “autumn” season of color and in many ways it is more interesting and longer lasting – with the  added benefit of no leaves to rake after it is all over.

 

Pleasant valley Farm Rockingham Vt

First there is the Flowing Water

Partridge Brook Chesterfield New Hampshire

Chesterfield NH

Of course, early spring isn’t only about the waves of color.  The second major attraction is the flowing water. Even without much melting snowpack the streams and waterfalls have been bursting with this years spring rains.  Waterfall photography is often an early spring gift even before the greens begin to grow.

 

Chesterfield Gorge

This year, I enjoyed a fun early waterfall exploration with a short workshop for a group from the Monadnock Garden Club.  I had planned to visit a number of waterfalls around Chesterfield area over a morning in early May.  I first brought the group to Chesterfield Gorge.  The Gorge has a wonderful variety of dramatic drops and babbling cascades and it turned out that location provided more than enough to keep the folks busy for the entire morning.  The group came with a wide range of experience and equipment, from sophisticated digital SLR’s to iPhones.  I was happy that everyone had a tripod, but some barely qualified for that designation.  There certainly were many opportunities for diplomatic instruction and the brisk flow of the stream provided all we needed to capture lovely images.

Saxon River Falls

Brockway Mills Falls Chester Vt

The waterfall photography has been great all spring and I have been out a number of times to catch the action.  I love it when I discover new waterfalls.  This year, my friend Lucky introduced me to a couple of dramatic falls around the Bellows Falls, Saxon River area in Vermont.  It is exciting that, no matter how long I wander about the roads of my corner of New England, I still can find fresh areas of beauty and wonder.

Partridge Brook Chesterfield NH

There are various ways that shutter speed can render the appearance of flowing water.  Rapid exposures freeze the splash capturing the turbulent energy of the water, but I continue to be enamored with the soft dreamy appearance created by long exposures.  Previously, I have discussed my view of the optimal shutter speed, but it depends on the rate of flow, the distance to the falls as well as your own taste.  My goal is to get a soft look without losing all the detail in the water.  There is no one “perfect” shutter speed, a bit of experimentation is usually required.

Partridge Brook Dam Spofford NH

Nearby, my local falls were all brimming with action.  Partridge Brook, which flows behind my house on its way to the Connecticut River, provided many interesting cascades as it ran through the old mill dam and down alongside the road toward Westmoreland.  The Gulf Road, in the southwest corner of Chesterfield, has a number of falls which are dependent on the fresh run-off, but when the rain is strong, the falls can be dramatic.   

 

Gulf Road Falls Chesterfield

Jelly Mill Falls Dummerston Vt

I also got across to Vermont for one of my favorite falling water spots in Dummerston, where Stickney Brook drops through the Jelly Mill Falls, with a series of lovely cascades to the West River.

 

Spring Green

Roads End Farm Chesterfield NH

As spring progresses, my attention is increasingly drawn to the evolving color of the bursting greenery.  It was great to have an excuse to explore around my familiar locations in both New Hampshire and Vermont.  

 

 

Each day, I found different shades of color as the season progressed.  I could also vary the colors by simply heading north or south, or by changing my altitude. The greens are settling out down here in far southern New Hampshire, but just last week I was able to catch some beautiful hillside greens on a misty afternoon farther north in Charlestown along the Connecticut River.  

 

Twin Peaks Charlestown NH

Every year, I am amazed at how quickly the leaves explode on the trees.  They must know how short a season they have to store energy for the long winter.  It is sad to see the multitude of shades of green settle out, but I do have a pile of images to work through, and I can sit back and enjoy the relaxing shade until the blast of autumn color shakes me from my summer lethargy.

Broad Brook Guilford Vt

 

Jeff Newcomer
www.partridgebrookreflections.com

 

Eclipse Journey

It was March of 1970.  I was penned up in my New Hampshire dorm rooms when a partial solar eclipse darkened the skin over Hanover.  It wasn’t the spectacular drama of a total eclipse, but I do remember looking out of my window to see the mass of my fellow “scholars” pounding pots and pans to encourage the weakened sun to return.  I could have travelled to see the total eclipse – the Southeast coast of the US would have served, but, at the time, I was barely 20 years old, and it didn’t seem that important to make the effort.

 

Path of Totality April 8 2024

As eclipse day approached, I planned to travel to the Burlington Vermont area, but within a day or two it looked like that region might be on the approaching edge of overcast skies.  It began to make sense to move my target northeast to the northern border of New Hampshire.  Monday morning, eclipse day, Susan, Benjamin Pierce (our wonderful Goldendoodle) and I Headed for Colebrook New Hampshire.  Predictions of nightmare traffic led us to leave at 6:30AM, but the trip north was a breeze.  We arrive in Colebrook with five hours to kill before the beginning of the eclipse and had plenty of time to find a good place to settle in for the show.

 

Eclipse Necessity

With Susan doing the planning we had most of what we needed, our folding chairs, sandwich fixings, lots of terrible but delicious snacks, water, food for the dog, eclipse glasses and an eclipse filter for my 400mm lens.  As we searched for a spot, we had only two additional criteria, an unobstructed view of the sun and porta potties.  We found both in a parking area set aside by the nice people of Colebrook. 

First Bite of the Moon

I had plenty of time to get my camera set up.  I focused the 400mm lens on the trees of a distant mountain ridge and then used gaffer’s tape to fix my focus on infinity.  Exactly as predicted beginning at 2:16PM, the moon began nipping larger and larger pieces of the sun.  The process took about one hour so I grabbed images about every five minutes.  As the sky slowly darkened, it took on an eerie grayish twilight and the temperature dropped.

Totality Lower Exposure Reveals Solar Prominences

Suddenly, as if by flipping a switch, totality blinked on.  Despite all my planning, panic set in.  I rushed to capture a range of exposures, but then I realized I was at risk of missing the experience while trying to capture it. For the last half of totality, I just settled back and enjoyed the view. It was spectacular and must be experienced to be appreciated.  I haven’t seen any photograph that fully captures the phenomenon. In addition to the bright corona, I was especially struck by the brilliant red of a solar prominence that peaked around the lunar disc.

 

 

Nearly 3 Minutes of Totality

In Colebrook the duration of totality was just under three minutes, but it seemed like 30 seconds.  Shortly after totality, we packed up and hit the road.  I felt a little guilty not waiting for the full process of the reemergence of the sun, but, like most everyone in the world, we knew what a nightmare the traffic would be heading south.

First Sliver of the Sun's Return

And it WAS a nightmare! Normally it should take about 3 hours to make it home, but it ended up taking 8 hours before we staggered back to Spofford NH. 

Route 91 - The Crawl

We initially found a few less congested back roads, but quickly, every path was clogged and the main route south, on Route 91, was a languid parking lot. We left Colebrook at 4PM and finally got home at about midnight.  There were a few saving graces, including the chance to listen to some fun music, and the blessing of a wonderfully relaxed dog. Benji actually handled the slog with far fewer complaints than either Susan or I. (And without drugs!)

 

We have now recovered from the journey, and I’ve had a chance to review my images.  In just a few days, the pain has faded, and the wonders of the experience are growing. The long journey has become just part of the whole remarkable experience and will blend with our memories of this amazing, once in a lifetime event.  I’m very glad that I made the effort to check this one off my list.

Jeff Newcomer
www.partridgebrookreflections.com

Spring Waterfalls and a Happy Surprise

 

Gulf Road Veil

With the recent rain, we are well into the spring waterfall season.  After a barren, snow deprived winter, the return of flowing water provides a welcome release from my dark seasonal malaise. 

Partridge Brook







A couple of days ago I ventured out to explore some of my favorite waterfall locations.  I first I stopped locally to capture the water of nearby Partridge Brook as it tumbled past the old factory building in Spofford. It is currently a sad site with the deserted brick structure crumbling by the stream, but there is exciting new local interest in rehabilitating the structure to meet a new purpose.
 























After a fresh rain, one of my favorite waterfall locations is along the winding Gulf Road in West Chesterfield.  The dirt road can become difficult following a heavy rain, with thick mud and deep ruts, but the road passes steep uphill cliffs that gush with spectacular cascades of water.  


































The various falls weave around the rocks in beautiful veils and interweaving flows.  The roadside falls only become dramatic after heavy rainfalls and tend to disappear to a trickle in just a day or so.  
















On that day 

the falls did not disappoint.


 



The light was threatening to fade, but I had time to rush to another favorite spot.  The normally placid flow of the Catsbane Brook in West Chesterfield can fill following a good downpour.  One the best places to appreciate the action is from the bridge across the brook at the Farr Road, near where the Catsbane joins the Connecticut River.  




Farr Road Bridge Cascade




As expected the cascades from this spot were dramatic, but then I noticed a surprise.  




A short distance upstream from the Farr Road bridge is an old mill dam. Seven or eight years ago the mill pond behind the dam had filled resulting in a spectacular flow of water.  I bushwhacked up to the falls and captured what I could only describe as a little Niagara.  The unique scene was amazing, but the next year I was disappointed to discover that it had disappeared.  For whatever reason someone had cleared a sluice at the base of the dam draining the mill pond and eliminating my little Niagara.  It was disappointing and I felt I may have captured the last of this wonderful waterfall.
 

Catsbane Mill Falls 2015

While I was shooting the Farr Road bridge cascade I happen to look up and in the distance I noticed what look like the water cascading over the old dam.  I worked my way up stream and was thrilled to see the mill falls roaring again!  



Catsbane Mill Falls Returned 2024




I don’t know whether the bypass had become obstructed, or the heavy rain had overcome the capacity of the sluice.  For whatever reason my little Niagara was crashing. But the surroundings had changed.  There was a curtain of blowdowns obstructing some of my best views, but even through a screen branches the view was impressive.  Hopefully, the falls may become more accessible after the stream calms down a bit, but I have learned that the mill pond could be drained at any time. 




The Falls Through the Blowdown


I’ll take what I can, but the waterfall season has just begun, and I am sure there will be more excitement to come.


Jeff Newcomer

jeffn49@myfairpoint.net
www.partridgebrookreflections.com

Through the Mist

Fresh Snow on Otter Brook, Keene NH

  Despite the strangeness of the weather, we had a reasonably colorful autumn.  By December, our typical November “Stick Season” should have been long past.  We were blessed with an inch or so of snow in late December, but that quickly vanished.  It is now mid-January, and we are just getting our next modest snowfall. The result has been an exceptionally long opportunity to explore the patterns and muted colors of New England’s photographically challenging, post-autumn, in-between season.

  

A couple of weeks ago, I was reminded of one of the climatic conditions that can salvage subtlety and interest from the starkness of the stick season.  I awoke to a lovely layer of fog that hung on the landscape and persisted for much of the day.  It is remarkable how a bit of mist in the air can lift a photographer from his pre-winter funk.  I shot out of the house and headed down the road.

I didn’t need to go far, since fog can dramatically alter even the most familiar or mundane scenes.  It can add mystery and depth while transforming bright colors to soft pastels. Seen through fog, distant features can take on a pleasant, uniformly soft, appearance.  Lovely, but I find these images rather flat.  They miss an important feature of foggy weather, the enhanced sense of depth.

Forest Depth

Placing something close to the camera, unaffected by the softening mist, can provide effective contrast to the shrouded distant subjects.  The effect is an expanded sense of depth.  Whenever I begin shooting in the fog, my first question is, “Where can I find something distinct in the foreground”.  Often the soft background serves to simplify the scene, allowing the foreground to stand out, removed from the busy distraction of the more distant elements.

Screened Hay Rake

Partridge Brook Debris

         

On this day, I found plenty of interesting foregrounds, from an old, weed engulfed, hay rake to a collection of storm-tossed brook debris.   I especially like it when leading lines draw the eye through the scene to the distant background.

Granite Leading Line

   

  It was a lovely afternoon with the mist creating interest in almost every direction.  I was only forced to stop by the fading light.

Mt Monadnock Blanket

Misty Wall, Roads End Farm
Chesterfield, NH 2000

 

Now we have some snow on the ground and the hope for more traditional winter photography, 

but remember fog can also work its magic on snowy scenes.

Our new puppy Benjamin Pierce (Benji) is enjoying his first snow.  He is named after the man who built our house back in the 1830s.  Our previous dogs, Nellie and Sophie were named after Benjamin's daughter and mother.

Jeff Newcomer, NEPG
www.partridgebrookreflections.com

Summer Deluge

Another Gulf Road "Transient"

In New England, every season offers its special photographic opportunities.  Autumn’s spectacular colors and winter’s quiet white blanket provide obvious attractions, while late falls “stick season” … well we must nap sometime.  Spring typically is valued both for the beautiful and varied early foliage, and also for the waterfalls that surge in response to the seasonal rains and spring run-off.

Garwin Falls, 2018

In recent years, I have scheduled a spring waterfall workshop for mid-May.  It is the best time of year to celebrate the flowing water in my corner of New England, but this year I had to cancel my plans.  First because the pandemic was still limiting close interactions and secondly because our unusually dry spring reduced the streams to disappointing trickles.

• Spring WaterfallSeason and Workshop : 2002
  
  
• Spring WaterfallPhotography Weekend 2017 

We finished May and June with severe drought conditions, but since the weather in New England never stays the same for long, we have been drowned in July.  Suddenly our streams and waterfalls have gushing at a time when the water is usually drying up for the hot summer months.

Old Jelly Mill Falls, Dummerston Vt

Chesterfield Gorge 

For several weeks I have been enjoying the late season flowing water.  Familiar waterfalls such as the Old Jelly Mill falls on Stickney Brook in Dummerston Vermont and Chesterfield Gorge in my home town, have been as active as I have ever seen. And, of course, the water has found its way into our leaky stone-lined basement.  Happily, our sump pump has been working hard to reduce what might have been 4-6 inches to just about 1 inch of water.

An Inch in the Basement

Route 30 Falls

"Transient"Waterfalls

I have been particularly struck by the dramatic flow in what I think of as transient run-off waterfalls.  My area has numerous falls that only seem to bloom in response to heavy downpours.  The water produces beautiful falls that come quickly and largely disappear within a few hours to a day.  On Route 30 near where Stickney Brook enters the West River, a steep road-side drop-off creates a lovely falls in response to heavy rain.  Come back any other time and there is only a trickle.

Fallen Arch July 2021

MadameSherri Forest in Chesterfield New Hampshire is most famous for the arched stairway which is the only remains of the Madame 1920’s summer party house.  Sadly, and inevitably, the recent storms appear to have been the last straw, resulting just a couple of weeks ago in the collapse of the top-most arch.  Happily, the area continues to offer other points of interest.  Next to the parking lot is the pond which had been the guest’s swimming hole.  The pond normally drains slowly into Gulf Brook, but here as well, the rains have energized the outflow to a boiling surge.

Madame Sherri Pond Outflow

Gulf Road "Transient"

Gulf Road Transients

Down the road from Madame Sherri, along the Gulf Road, is my favorite collection of “transient” waterfalls.  The road cuts through a deep gorge adjacent to the Gulf Brook, on its way to the Connecticut River.  During heavy rains, at several spots along the way, waterfalls plunge down the hillside to disappear under the road and into the brook.  When the weather is right you only need to stand in the road to capture these dramatic cascades dropping to your feet.  It’s easy shooting, but you may be forced to dodge the heavy trucks and bucket loaders as they repair the washed-out dirt road.  

"Transient after a couple of dry days

The important thing is to time it right.  Within a day or so of dry weather the show is largely over and we are back to a dry stream bed, or at most a trickle.

Another Gulf Road Transient

Boiling Gulf Brook

Wilde Brook, Chesterfield Gorge

So, I got my waterfall season, just a month late.  July is almost over and the rain hasn’t stopped yet.  I don’t know if this is the new, globally warmed, normal, but with the rain pouring down today, I guess I’ll be out shooting the falling water again tomorrow.

So get out and capture the falling water whenever nature delivers, and keep track of the “Transient” waterfalls in your area.

Jeff Newcomer, NEPG
www.partridgebrookreflections.com