Isolation Photography 2 (Outside)

Out on a Hike :Ashuelot River, Keene NH

County Champion Red Oak
Friedsam Town Forest, Chesterfield

I hope everyone is still managing to stay healthy and sane as we practice crucial measures for social distancing and personal protection from the Corvid 19 virus.  On the “keeping sane” front, last week I discussed how we can explore within our homes for interesting photographic subjects.  Possibilities included pets and floral photography as well as macro photography to study the details of everyday things. I also mentioned that I have taken advantage of all my free time to catch up on editing the volumes of untouched images that I have collected from previous travels and from the wonderful progression of our New England seasons.  There is much within our homes to keep our photography interesting and creative, but with proper precautions, there should be no reason to restrict our shooting within our walls.  With simple precautions, we can step outside, take a drive, a hike in the woods or just a stroll around the neighborhood.  

Early spring “stick season” can be drab, but life is returning to the landscape.  With eyes open, you will be surprised by the beauty that is all around.  Here are just a few suggestions of what photographic wonders you may find as you venture out into our early New England spring.

Look for Patterns

Maple Swallowing

During the stick seasons of both November and the early spring, much of my photography is focused on patterns in nature.  Bare branches, twigs, dead leaves, fences, and stonewalls can all be captured in interesting arrangements forming strong compositions.  Once you start looking, the patterns are everywhere.  Most days I walk along the same loop through my Spofford Village neighborhood.  It is all very familiar, but I always seem to find new things to shoot.  The weather or light may be different, or I may find fresh compositions or angles on scenes that I pass every day. Don’t be afraid to experiment.  After all those pixels are free.

Ice Out on the Edge

Try Black and White

In the spring, the subtle shades of color can be striking, but this is also a time when black and white images can be used to highlight the patterns.  When shooting for black and white, I always capture the original images in color, and later convert to B&W.  The underlying color information can be used to lighten or darken corresponding areas of the monochrome image.

I converted a simple picture of a twig on the ground to black and white, and I was able to darken the greens and yellows to highlight the curving form of the pine branch.  These sorts of adjustments are available in Lightroom, Photoshop and most other image editing programs.

New Life

In the early spring there are signs of new life.  A couple of weeks ago shoots of green had pushed through the snow and now the brave Crocuses are reaching up towards the light.  

The buds on the trees are beginning to swell and in just a few weeks they will be exploding into bizarre arrays of early growth.

Crocus Blooms

Lichen

I have always been a fan of the beautiful patterns and colors of New England’s ubiquitousLichens.  Lichen is actually a symbiotic composite organism combining a fugus superstructure in which lives a photosynthetic algae or cyanobacteria.  When you start looking you will see that Lichen covers much of the substance of New England. Stone walls, boulders and even trees are hosts.  Spring, when the forests aren’t choked with leaves, is a great time to view and photograph the underappreciated Lichens.

Animals Emerge

On a much grander scale than the lowly Lichen, spring is a time when animals become more active.  If you are persistent, patient and lucky, you may capture squirrels, chipmunks, deer and many wild birds.  Visiting a nearby farm, you can find sheep, cows and horses all feeding on the new grass.  

On a recent walk, a passerby directed my attention to a juvenile eagle perched high above Spofford Lake.  The bird stayed in the tree long enough for me to run home and return with my long lens. 

I steadied my 800mm Lens (actually 400mm with a 2x extender) on my car roof and, with a rapid shutter speed, I was able to get some steady,  views of this magnificent raptor. 

Past Life

Spring is also decorated by the remains of the previous season’s growth.  Fallen leaves can be seen in various patterns of decay on the ground or floating on ponds and streams.  Recently I found a nice collection of Cat-o’-nine tails bunched in a patch of wetland next to Spofford lake.  Spring is also a great time to get a clear view of the weathering of old trees and stumps.

Beech trees are remarkably persistent members of our New England forests. During winter and spring their bright yellow leaves tenaciously cling to the branches and add color to an otherwise dull landscape.  I always look for ways to include these splashes of color in my compositions.

Beech Forest Spofford NH

The Usual

West River Sunset Brattleboro Vt

The Golden Hours

Of course, in additional to the special spring stuff, there are many of the usual New England attractions to be seen as you venture away from home.  Sunsets and sunrises should be as glorious as during any other time of year. Although I wonder if the reduction in vehicular air pollution might mute the rosy glory of the golden hours. 

It is easy to capture brilliant color in a sunset, but try to make the image about more than just a splash of garish color. Find something interesting in the foreground that tells a story and places the viewer within the scene. 

Moon Rising

"Super" Moon over Monadnock

The fullmoon will be rising on Tuesday evening (4/7)  and will be the biggest this year. Moonrise in Keene will be in the east (92.8 deg) at 6:58 pm, although as we look over the hills, we will see it later.  Try to catch the moon close to the horizon when there is still some light in the sky, the “blue hour”, and find a spot where you can place something interesting in the foreground.

Flowing Water

Partridge Brook Chesterfield NH

Finally, early spring is the best time to explore the many spectacular local waterfalls.  The Run-off and spring rains swells our streams and that is why I schedule my annual Waterfall Weekend Workshop for this time off year.  The weekend is always an exciting adventure.  

• Waterfalls of Cheshire County

This year the workshop is set for May 15^th – 17^th, but, unless we all travel in separate cars,  it seems unlikely that we will be able gather for the event.  This stupid virus has already squashed two of my classes, but I can always hope.  Meanwhile there is nothing preventing us from photographing waterfalls on our own.  Just stay distant from the crowds.  Remember to bring a tripod and polarizer to cut through the reflections and soften the rushing water.  And try not to slip on the wet leaves into the freezing water - not all of the dangers out there are related to a nasty virus. 

• Photographing the Magic of Velvet Water

Chesterfield Gorge Bridge

Gnarled Stump Spofford NH

I hope you are doing well, healthy and safe, and that this discussion will get you going on your own exploration beyond the confines of your home and into the growing beauty of our New England spring.  Let me know what interesting subjects you find.

Maybe I will see you out there – just stay safely distant!

Spofford Village NH

Jeff Newcomer, NEPG
www.partridgebrookreflections.com
jeffn49@myfairpoint.net

2017 Retrospective

It is January, and therefore, it must be time for some retrospection.  As always, I try to focus my “favorites of the year” on experiences and events rather than trying to agonize over what I might consider to be my best images.

This year had its share of great experiences and photographic opportunities.  In the next two articles I will share a few of the pictures which will always remind me of the beauty and excitement of the past year.  Happily, I have no personal images which would document the tragedies of 2017, the natural disasters, the seemingly endless and totally avoidable string of gun related violence, and, of course the national embarrassment of Donald Trump.

Thank goodness, the beauty of New England continues to provide an island of peace in this increasingly crazy world.

Bird Feeder Photography

Tufted Titmouse

I start with one of my greatest joys year-round, watching the birds that cluster around my bird feeders.  They visit in all seasons and weather but are particularly welcome when they bring color to our drab winter.  Although I continue to insist that I am NOT a birder, I am beginning to identify the many species including: Chickadees, Tufted Titmouse, Downy Woodpecker and Cardinals.  And I love the bird watching that I can do from a comfortable chair in my toasty house!

Cardinal

Our Local Bald Eagles

While I am discussing birds, I must mention the family of eagles which, for many years, has nested across the Connecticut River from Chesterfield.  For several seasons I have enjoyed watching as their chicks matured to active juveniles.  It is great to see these majestic birds, but it is most exciting when I have been able to observe their behaviors.  Last spring, I captured an interesting aggressive interaction, over dominance of the nest, between a juvenile and a parent – the parent won.  Sadly, this winter the bare snag, which has been the location of their nest has fallen into the river.  Hopefully, they have found a new location which will continue to be visible.

Spectacular Winter and Escaping South

I love the winter.  It is one of my favorite seasons for capturing the unique beauty of New England, especially in December and January when the white is fresh and is a welcome relief from the drab brown of the November stick season.  But the winter in New Hampshire is long, and by the time March comes along, the persistent cold, snow and sleet becomes increasingly hard to bare. 

Key West Sunset

This year, Susan and I decided to escape the worst of the season and head south for some much-needed warmth. We loaded a rented mini-van and left on a month-long drive.  Susan scheduled a month long, warmth seeking, tour along the coast, as far south as Key West, planning visits with friends and family along the way.


  We spent the majority of our trip in Florida, mostly exploring both sides of the Everglades and relaxing for five nights in a quiet Key West condo oasis.  Our trip back home included stays with friends and family around Naples on Florida’s west coast, in addition to enjoying the beaches and nature preserves.

Everglades Gator

We had a great trip and I came home with over 4,000 pictures.  Many of the green landscape but mostly of animals, especially a great variety of birds.  Yes, I am a birder now.





For more images, check out my Search for Warmth Gallery

Key West Sunset Aboard the Appledore

We were considering another southern trip this winter, perhaps to New Orleans, but another project has come up to claim our time and money. We decided to stay put and enjoy the full winter experience.

White Egret Gulp, Everglades

Classes

In the last couple of years teaching has become an increasing part of my photographic work.  It seems a natural extension of the wide-ranging topics in my weekly blog.  Teaching has always been a goal, and I’m thrilled that my classes have seemed to be welcome.  

Over this last year I have expanded my offerings to include two sessions of my popular Introduction to Digital Photography Course and two Adobe Lightroom Courses.   

The Introduction to Photography program includes 8 hours of classroom time, and two photo-shoot field trips.  We cover everything from selecting a digital camera, to image file types, archiving, exposure, composition and dealing with different varieties of light. I am amazed at the number of people in our community who are excited to learn about the capabilities of their new digital cameras.  The class keeps filling quickly.

Lightroom around the table

The Lightroom Course includes 5 weekly, 2 hour sessions, during which I cover the essentials of this amazingly capable organizing and editing program for digital images.  For many, it is all that is needed to go from snapshots to works of art.  I had previously hosted my Lightroom classes at home, around our dining room table.  I am currently in the middle of my first class of the year and, given the vagaries of our winter weather, I am offering it in Keene.  Monadnock Imaging on Main Street is generously hosting the sessions.

Mt Washington Valley, Lightroom Panorama

In just a few years teaching has become a prominent part of my photographic work and I suspect that my time spent on the classes and workshops, along with my commitment to this weekly blog will only continue to grow.  If you have any questions, you can always check out my Blog Index, which now categorizes over 400 articles on digital photography in general and New England photography in loving particular.

Photography Workshops

I was excited this year to offer two workshops, one exploring spring waterfalls in our region and the other repeating my Fall Foliage Weekend Workshop.  Workshops are very different from classes with some discussion around the table, but much of the learning coming from dealing with practical issue in the field. 

I scheduled the waterfall workshop for early in the spring when I hoped the streams would be flowing at their maximal rate.  In fact, we had heavy rains prior to the weekend and the falls were all amazing.  Of course, being spring in New England, we had to deal with intermittent showers, but I had a great group that was well prepared and excited by the falling waters.

Porcupine Falls

This year the Foliage Workshop suffered from spotty color and from the fact that it began a day after I returned from our three week trip to Italy.  I somehow struggled through the jet lag, helped along by a very energetic and sympathetic group.  We managed to find some excellent locations and I was impressed with the images that my “kids” captured.

I enjoy the workshop format and will be offering my Waterfall weekend this spring.  Other possibilities for the coming year include a winter workshop and possibly one on night photography. 

That’s it for the first five highlights of 2017.  Next week I will collect a few more.  I may need more than 2 weeks to get this all together.

Jeff Newcomer, NEPG
www.partridgebrookreflections.com

The Temptation of One Minute More

Roads End Pasture

It is my habit to head out shooting after I complete my Saturday morning visit to the transfer station in my hometown of Chesterfield New Hampshire.  After making the necessary drop off at the dump, I usually start with a drive through Roads End Farm.  I have been visiting this lovely horse farm for years, and I nearly always find fresh subjects to shoot.  Then, if I have the time, I look for other places to explore in my beautiful corner of New England.

My Eagles

This weekend, I visited “my Eagles” on the Connecticut River, and the stop reminded me that photography, and most importantly wildlife photography, is often about long periods of waiting punctuated by breathtaking moments of excitement.

Nest Building March 2015

In the Summer, there are just a few locations along the Connecticut River in Chesterfield that open to a clear view of the high snag, that is the yearly nesting spot for our pair of bald eagles.  This spring, I saw at least one fledgling appear in the nest, and although, this time of year, things get less exciting, it is still interesting to watch the comings and goings of the adult and immature Eagles.

Yesterday I settled in at the side of the River Road, with my 400mm lens resting on my car window, and trained on the nest, across the river.  One majestic adult Eagle was perched above the nest, calmly scanning the passing waters.  I adjusted my focus and selected an ISO of 800, that allowed a shutter speed of at least 1000th of a second.  Then I waited for some action.

Iconic Boredom

And I waited.  Wildlife photographers are experienced with this, but I usually shoot trees and mountains, and trees and mountains perform on a much more predictable schedule.  I have learned to expect some photographically interesting comings and goings at least every 30 or 40 minutes, but on this day, an hour passed without any activity.  That LAZY feathered national icon just sat there as if he thought he was posing for a marble monument.  Meanwhile, my nearly seven pounds of camera and lens were getting heavier by the minute.

I Look Away

I wanted to surrender.  I had chores to complete, or at least a nap to take, but after investing more than 60 minutes, I told myself that something must happen soon.  I knew instinctively that all sorts of exciting avian behavior would occur as soon as I packed up my gear, and that was the trap.  As always, the temptation to hang in for just one minute more, and then one minute longer was strong.   

No picture to Show Here !!

Then, something happened!  Just as I looked away to re-position the camera, a juvenile eagle swooped in and somewhat forcibly dislodged the parent from the nest.  Great action, I presume, but the switch occurred in a moment, and I missed ALL of it!  I was pissed! – Sorry, I was disconsolate.

Juvenile Defiance

Needless to say, I was annoyed to have wasted so much time, only to miss the big event.  Now I had to be satisfied with pictures of the statuesque juvenile eagle placidly surveying his domain and mocking the frustrated photographer across the river.  I was ready to leave in disgust, but then the, “one more minute” temptation kicked in.  I hung on, and the magic finally happened.

Yes!

Parental Input

With no warning, the mature Eagle came swooping back to reclaim its throne.  I only had time to trigger a burst of images, and, in a blink, it was over.  Both birds flew away, but when I got home, I found that I had captured a few of the best pictures of, what I assume to be good-natured domestic aggression between Eagle parent and progeny.  There was many a time when I wished that I had menacing claws to go after my rebellious teenagers in a similarly "good-natured" way.

A Second of Action

Checking the time stamps on the 5 key images, I found that all the action occurred over just about one second!  More than an hour of boredom for a second of excitement. 


Now I understand why wildlife photographers can show such amazing patience. Long ago, I learned in the psychology lab that I could train an Albino Rat to press a bar hundreds of times for only the rare reward of a food pellet.  I would never suggest that wildlife photographers are equivalent to rodents, but I have discovered that occasionally majestic rewards can come from nonsensical persistence.  I too am susceptible to the siren temptation of “one minute more”, and at least this time, I got my food pellet.

Parting

Jeffrey Newcomer

partridgebrookreflections.com