Getting it Right in the Digital Camera

Thursday, June 6, 2019

2019 Spring Waterfall Workshop

Dummerston Falls Detail

John Overlooking Stickney Brook

My recent Spring Waterfall Workshop was a wonderful success. As usual I was blessed with a great group of photographers. We had the opportunity to visit many of my favorite waterfalls and explored other falls that I had not included in previous workshops. New England springs can offer a broad array of weather and this year the conditions provided opportunities to show how to get the most from the challenges that nature can provide during this fickle season. We had to contend with the horrors of a classically difficult “beautiful sunny day” as well as spring downpours, before we finally were treated to soft overcast light.

Miniwawa Brook

We started with a drive to the great waterfalls in the Wilton/Milford area. Along the way we stopped at Minwawa Brook in Keene. The brook was flowing strongly under the bridge and it was a chance to help the workshop members become more familiar with there equipment. The sun was bright and shining into our cameras, but we were able to find trees to block the glare.

Steph and Robin at Miniwawa

Tucker Brook Falls

Tucker Brook Falls, Graduated ND

Outside of Wilton we took a short hike in Tucker Brook Town Forest to reach the Tucker Brook Falls. The falls were flowing well, but the primary challenge was to deal with the dappled sunlight. It was a great chance to demonstrate the use of neutral density filters, especially gradient NDs, that allowed us to cut the contrast between the brightly lit falls and the shaded brook. I was excited to see my group enjoy the adventure of searching for fresh angles on the location, including small pools and interesting views downstream.

Robin's Detail at Tucker Brook

Lower Purgatory Falls

Lower Purgatory Polarizer and 3Stop ND

After another short hike we reached secluded Lower Purgatory Falls. Again, the falls were bathed with unfortunately bright light, but ND filters allowed us to capture the falls with slow shutter speeds which were sufficient to soften the flow. Despite the beautiful weather and the congested parking, we were surprised to find that the location was relatively free of crowds. After an enjoyable stay in Purgatory, we were ready for lunch, descending upon the Rivermill Tavern in Wilton.

Garwin Denied!

Maybe Next Year for Garwin

After lunch, we headed to nearby Garwin Falls. I had saved this as the special treat of our explorations in Wilton. Garwin combines surging cascades with several dramatic drops. It is my favorite choice among the Wilton/Milford falls, but sadly, we were denied. Apparently, the Wilton town-folk have complained about the heavy concentration of visitors which have congested the near-by roads. The Garwin trailhead only has room for 3-4 cars and everyone else must park along the road. In response, the town has posted threatening No Parking signs in all directions. It was a tragic loss, but we had no choice but to move on. I learned my lesson, and next year we will visit Garwin early in the morning.

Faye Measure Mill

Hana's Frye Measure Mill

Faye Measure Mill offers a combination of a lovely old mill falls and a unique store which features the mill’s exquisite (and expensive) shaker boxes. I usually check out the “seconds” bin for something more within my budget. This year I grabbed a box to organize the remotes in my studio.

Shaker Box

Harrisville Village

Since we were deprived of a long stay at Garwin Falls, on our way home, we were able to stop by at the magical New England manufacturing village of Harrisville. Harrisville has classic views of the mill water racing under the factory buildings, but the conditions remained challenging. Harrisville is really a “sunrise” location with the setting sun shining into lenses from most of the best locations. Again, we used obstructing trees and ND filters to salvage what we could from the conditions.

Pizza and Pictures

Saturday evening, we gathered at our house for a light dinner and review of many of the day’s images. Despite the terrible “beautiful” conditions, there were many nice shots.

Sunday’s Beautiful “Terrible” Conditions

Steph's Pond Brook Falls - In the Rain

Sunday began overcast with showers and occasional downpours – In other words, PERFECT waterfall weather. In Chesterfield, at Pond Brook Falls and the Catsbane Cascades, we struggled with the rain, but once we headed to Vermont, the precipitation largely stopped. We were left with a wonderful soft overcast for the remainder of the morning.

Dummerston Falls

Mike's view of Dummerston Falls

Dummerston Falls is a surprisingly dramatic waterfall along Route 30 in Dummerston Vermont. It is just a few hundred yards down the road from the turn-off to Stickney Brook and Jelly Mill Falls. Despite the endless times I have visited Stickney Brook, I never before noticed this beautiful drop. I suspect that this is, at least in part, because the waterfall is variable in intensity, being more prominent after storms and during spring run-off. The water was flowing well during our visit and pictures taken from locations just of the road made the waterfall’s impressive 25-foot drop appear as if it was nestled deep within the forest. I almost felt guilty as we captured such great images with such little effort.

The Team at Dummerston Falls

Stickney Brook and Jelly Mill Falls

Rana at Stickney Brook

For years Stickney Brook has been my favorite cascades across the Connecticut River in Dummerston Vermont. The area is also known as Jelly Mill Falls, with some of the mills original stonework still visible along the edge of the brook. Many photographic opportunities can be found on either side of the brook, with a succession of cascades weaving down to its terminus in the West River. This was a great spot to finish our adventures and I was excited to see how the group showed greater confidence as they explored various locations.

Hana's Stickney Cascade

Stickney Brook

I Hate to Have My PictureTaken!

This year’s waterfall workshop was unique, first because of the skill and enthusiasm of the participants, and second because the weather provided a range of challenges that the group seemed to enjoy confronting. The pictures that I have seen posted on our special web gallery have shown how well these lessons have been embraced.

Great job guys !

Jeffrey Newcomer
\www.partridgebrookreflections.com
jeffn49@myfairpoint.net

Saturday, May 4, 2019

Spring Waterfall Workshop

Jelly Mill Falls Dummerston Vermont

Weekend of May 17-19

Every year, as winter starts to break, I begin to worry about my annual spring Waterfall Workshop. Will there be enough spring run-off and rainfall to fill my favorite local waterfalls and will anyone sign-up to join me as I revile in our early spring’s greatest attraction, our spectacular falling waters.

The Flow

Dummerston Falls

This year a sparse winter snowfall has led to a sluggish run-off, but that has been thoroughly off-set by heavy and persistent spring rains. With my workshop just two weeks from now, I have begun scouting regional waterfalls, old favorites like Chesterfield Gorge and Pond Brook Falls as well as locations which will be new for this year’s workshop, such as Jelly Mill Falls in Dummerston Vermont. So far, the water has been strong, but every year is different. Heavy water flow can be dramatic but can also overwhelm the detail in some falls. Seasons with slower flow provide the opportunity to appreciate sinuous patterns in the falls as the water weaves over and around the underlying rock. Conditions are looking great, but it is always about getting the most from whatever nature provides.

The Victims

My second worry is whether anyone will show up for the workshop. I have never advertised my classes and workshops but have gotten the word out through Facebook and my blogs.

Chesterfield Gorge Upper Cascade

I set a limit on my workshops of no more than 7-8 participants. Sometimes I have fewer, often due to last minute cancellations, but I don’t take it personally. I would enjoy shooting the falls even if I had only one participant. It is always a great excuse to spend time exploring the falling waters and that one person would get a lot of attention! That said, this year I have room for a couple more photographers and they are welcome to get in touch. Here is the plan.

Frye's Measure Mill Wilton NH

Lower Purgatory Falls, Wilton NH

We will gather Friday evening, May 17th, around my dining room table, for a chance to meet everyone, and review our plans. It will be my opportunity to assess the varying levels of photographic experience among the participants and consider how everyone can be accommodated. I will discuss key elements of the photography of flowing water, including the importance of a sturdy tripod, a cable release and, of course, a polarizing filter. We will also have a chance to plan Saturday’s schedule.

Garwin Falls, Wilton NH

All day Saturday, and Sunday morning, we will explore some of our region’s most dramatic waterfalls, I typically devote much of Saturday to the marvelous group of falls in Wilton New Hampshire. Wilton has a wonderful collection of waterfalls all conveniently located, including Purgatory Falls, Tucker Falls the dramatic series of cascade at Garwin Falls. Saturday evening, we will gather again around my dining room table for pizza and discussion of the day’s experiences. We will also have a chance for review and gently critique many of the images from the day’s shooting and plan Sunday morning’s explorations.

Stickney Brook Dummersto Vt

Sunday morning, we will gather again for more falling waters. We will begin with waterfalls in Chesterfield. Then, for the first time, we will venture over to Vermont exploring the falls in Dummerston and, if time permits, the waterfall in the quintessential New England village of Green River. I will let you all escape, by noon, exhausted but with a camera full of wonderful waterfall images.

Pond Brook Falls Chesterfield NH

It should be an exciting weekend and I’m looking forward to sharing many of my favorite spots and techniques.

The entire program including snacks and an informal dinner will be $195. Please get in touch if you want to get on the list for this year’s workshop, or if you have any questions. In the meantime, I will be spending my days gleefully scouting the falls.

Jeff Newcomer
www.partridgebrookreflections.com

jeffn49@myfairpoint.net

603-363-8338

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Introduction to Digital Photography, An Overdue Course Syllabus

Upper Garwin Falls, Wilton NH

Green River Falls, Guilford Vt

I am in the middle of my Introduction to Digital Photography Class at Keene Community Education. I have been offering this 4-week course, twice a year, for several years and I continue to be amazed at what seems to be an endless supply of local people who are desperate to learn about how to use their digital cameras. The class has never failed to be fully booked immediately after the course is announced.

The program includes 8 hours of class time and two photo shoots to nearby locations. Eight hours is not enough, but during that time I try to cover a broad range of topics. In the first class, I start with a discussion of the features offered by various classes of cameras and how to approach learning the mind-boggling array of features. I show how and where to upload and archive images and the advantages of different image file types (emphasizing RAW of course). It is a lot to pack into the first two hours.

Rockport Ma

In subsequent classes I cover the control of exposure, approaches to composition and the opportunities and challenges of shooting in various kinds of light. Somewhere in there I try to squeeze in discussions of image sharpness, focus and control of color balance.

Old Home Day, Chesterfield, NH

It is a lot to explain and in preparing my classes I have drawn heavily on the discussions I have written in many of my blog articles. My students often ask whether I have a course syllabus and I generally direct the to my blogs. Most of the information and examples are there, but it is not always easy to find. Included here is a list of links selected from over 400 blog articles that cover the key areas of my course. They are organized to roughly match the order of the classes. Hopefully these chapters will also provide a helpful introduction to the amazing world of modern digital photography for those who will never be able to participate in any of my classes.

Central Square, Keene NH

Nuts and Bolts

My first class is generally the most challenging for the students and myself as it includes such a broad range of topics. The relative advantages of large sensors and small sensors, lossy vs lossless file types, and the long list of approaches to image archiving are just a few of the topics covered.

Intro to Digital Photo Class, Spring 2018

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Exposure

Exposure is not just about the brightness of the image. How we combine Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO also effects important aspects of the imaging, including depth of field, portrayal of motion and image noise.

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Composition

Lower Purgatory Falls, Wilton NH

The “Rules of Composition” should never be allowed to restrict your own creative vision, but they can provide some helpful starting points. The rules are all based on what looked balanced and beautiful to the eye of others, and what works for your eyes has equal validity. Picasso said “We all know that Art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realize truth”. Your compositions should be a path to realizing your own personal truth.

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Using Light

In New England, the light is always changing. Whether it is the warm beauty of the “Golden Hour” or the harsh brilliance of the midday sun, it is important to recognize the conditions, and plan your shooting to respond to the challenges and the opportunities that they provide.

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Sharpness and Focus

The apparent sharpness of and image is not only related to proper focus, but also the steadiness of the camera. These are important topics, but I never know where I will be able to slip them into my presentations. It usually depends on how many questions I must answer and how many images I end up critiquing.

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Final Thoughts

Here are some of my random thoughts about art, photography and the state of digital photography’s place in the world of fine art and media. It is the kind of “artsy” talk I pledged to never use when I started my blog more than 10 years ago.

Jeffrey Newcomer
www.partridgebrookreflections.com

Sunday, March 31, 2019

Winter Visual Clean-Up

Jackson Square, New Orleans La

This is the second winter that Susan and I decided that by February we had a sufficient dose of cold and ice and escaped for a March road trip to the south. This year we loaded our rented van and headed toward New Orleans. On the way we visited family in Harrisburg Pennsylvania and, then struggled through persistent winter in the mountains of West Virginia, until we finally felt the beginnings of spring warmth in the horse country around Lexington Kentucky. Our route took us for short stays in Nashville and Memphis before we landed In New Orleans.

Nashville Music at the Listening Room

The trip was about finding warmth, but it was most notable for delicious food and great music. Yes, even country music. Of course, I took pictures along the way, but so far, of the 1400 images, I was too busy to edit more than about 30. More to come, I’ll be adding them to a New Orleans Trip Gallery. It was great to get away, but I returned with a fresh eye for the special character of our winter landscape. This week I would like to get back into regular posting with an offering of a few of the winter pictures that I was able to grab before we retreated to the south.

This winter was another disappointment, spells of cold and a few paltry snow storms, but not much to excite the miserable weather fetish of the devoted outdoor photographer.

The Cold
I found manifestations of the bitter cold spells with the smoke coming from the Keene State College smoke stacks and, one of my favorites of the season, the deadly icicles hanging menacingly inside the railroad arch in Keene New Hampshire.

Out From Under

Given the paltry amounts of snow, my pictures often featured what was bravely poking its way through the cover. At various times, grass, rocks, fences, tress and wood piles and had their moments.

Christmas Cheer

Christmas always provides opportunities for warm images in a cold season. This year’s Keene Central Square tree was not massive, but it had a nice shape. I never caught the square in the perfect “Winter Wonderland” moment, but I like the contrasting light of the storm clouds behind the late afternoon glow.

This year I had to go to Princeton New Jersey to catch dramatic holiday lighting.

Finally, to accurately reflect he season, I must include the bare ground around the Chesterfield Town Hall on an early February morning. The cold clear air allowed a beautiful view of January’s aptly named Blood Moon in eclipse.

And just as a reminder, I include a nostalgic shot of a frigid winter sunset from a Walpole hillside, February 2008. Winter the way it ought to be - I hate this global warming s#*t!

And don’t forget to sign up for my Spring Waterfall Workshop.

I’m expecting a lot of April showers to bring May flowing water as well as the flowers.

Spring Waterfall Workshop

Weekend of May 17-19
Get in touch soon!

Jeff Newcomer
wwwpartridgebrookreflections.com”
603-363-8338
jeffn49@myfairpoint.net

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