Photographing the DeMar Marathon

Ashuelot River along the course

Last spring, I was asked by the folks running our local DeMar Marathon, if I would help out by taking photographs of the course.  The DeMar has been an important tradition in the Monadnock region and the course, especially the first part, travels through miles of lovely backroads and along tumbling brooks.  It is arguably one of the most beautiful marathon courses in the country.

   I was thrilled to take on the assignment.  Since the event has been managed by our local Elm City Rotary Club it has expanded in inclusiveness and popularity.  This year almost 300 ran the 26.2 mile course, but in addition to the full marathon, participation in the half marathon has increased.  The DeMar has become a community-wide event with the “Super Senior” race for those over 70 years of age and kids races for children ranging from kindergarten to 5^th grade.

The Course in Spring

I enjoyed the opportunity to shoot along the course last spring when the greens were just beginning to burst forth, but I was reminded of the fact that I had never shot the actual race.  This year I got out to capture the excitement from a number of different locations.  And I they even used one of my pictures of the stone bridge in Gilsum for the bib.

Warming up

The Kids and The Super Seniors

College Volunteers

I started early in the morning to catch the start of the Kids and Super Senior races.  Both groups managed to run or walk a total of 25 miles over the summer and then, on the day of the marathon, they finish their last 1.2 miles. 

 

Kids and Super Seniors

It was great to see the enthusiasm in both the seniors and the children, and both demographics seemed to gain inspiration from each other.  My favorite shot was a group photo, that I suggested with the seniors and youth all together, but the energy at the starts was also electric.

The Cemetery Run

Cemetery Run

The kid's starts were by far
the most fun, but, after they were on their way , I followed the suggestion of one of the organizers and headed off to catch the half marathoners as they ran through the lovely rolling landscape of the cemetery, around mile ten.  It was a great day for running, cool and dry, and the light accentuated the early fall foliage.  I’m sure that seeing a photographer ahead can change a runner’s attitude, but, after ten miles, the expressions had evolved from the excitement of the start to focused determination.

Cemetery Turn

To the Finish

Next I had to work my way to the finish line.  The DeMar’s last few hundred yards are along Keene State College’s beautifully green Apian Way and finally through the ubiquitous inflatable finish line arch.  I was impressed that the organizers were able to identify most of the runners by name as the crowd cheered. Finishers were personally congratulated and awarded their medal.  It all reinforced the DeMar’s reputation as a warm and comfortable “little” marathon. 

Main Street Banner

A couple of years ago Keene received an undue amount of bad publicity after the nasty episode near the college campus on the evening of the Pumpkin Festival.  This isolated and aberrant episode led to some necessary changes, but events such as the DeMar Marathon reinforce the strength and warmth of our community.  The work that has been done by so many to expand and enrich this event is amazing and I’m glad that I had the opportunity to contribute a small amount to its success.

Read more about the DeMar’s long history and tour the beautiful route in my first blog from this spring.

Jeff Newcomer
partridgebrookreflections.com
603-363-8338

Fall Foliage Workshop ; The Color is Coming!

I am in the middle of my Introduction to Digital Photography Course through the Keene Community Education Program.  This is my third time presenting a wide range of topics including, handling image files, archiving, exposure, composition and the use of the great variety of naturally occurring light.  The curriculum is basically the same, but I always seem compelled to make “refinements”, hopefully for the better. Once again I am blessed with an enthusiastic class with a broad range of experience.  This time I was surprised to find only one point and shoot photographer with all the rest using DSLRs.  It is going to be fun.

Diving into teaching has taught me two important lessons.  First, preparing courses is a lot of work.  It has placed pressure on my shooting and writing, but happily I have also discovered that it is wonderfully fulfilling and a whole lot of fun.  I plan to expand my teaching to include more advanced topics and more on the use of editing software. I have wondered whether my audience would eventually run out, but digital cameras have expanded the availability of high quality imaging to a growing segment of the public and the excitement to learn more about the new technologies seems to be boundless.

As I continue with the Intro class I am finalizing plans for my other classes in the next few months. This will include a weekend fall foliage workshop and a 5 week course on the amazing capabilities of the Adobe Lightroom program.   I have a long list of folks who have expressed the desire to hear about upcoming programs.  I will try to send email annoucements, but this is another way of getting the word out.  My experience has been that classes fill quickly, so get in touch as soon as you can.

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Fall Foliage Workshop:

October 14^th -16^th, 2016
Spofford, New Hampshire

Coming up first is a Fall Foliage Workshop scheduled for October 14^th-16^th.  There is much debate about the effect that this summers hot and dry weather will have on the color, but this is New England and a big part of photography in our region is learning to adapt to conditions.  In most years the weekend after Columbus Day is descent, but we may need to head north or south to find the best color.

This is my first attempt at a workshop format, but my basic principals are the same, keep it small, informal and flexible.  The plan is to get together around my dining room table, in Spofford New Hampshire, on Friday evening, the 14^th, for a discussion about photography in general and fall foliage photography in specific.  We will also make plans for the next day’s shoots, based on the conditions.  Saturday will be devoted to exploring as many locations as possible.  This is the exciting treasure hunt that is photography in. New England.   

 

You never know what you are going to find, but it is almost always something other than you expected. I have ideas about potential locations, but it will all depend on the conditions.  Saturday evening, we will gather again around the dining room table for an extremely informal dinner (probably pizza) and the chance to review many of your favorite images from the day. 

Bring a Polarizing Filter

I promise to be gentle in my critique, and I hope to have the chance to demonstrate how editing can bring the best from your images.  Sunday morning will provide another  chance to look for opportunities, again based on our discussions from the night before.  

 

Can't Guarantee a Moose

That’s the plan.  To me it sounds like like a great deal of fun and the chance to revel in the spectacular beauty of our most colorful season. Since this is my first time through this program I’m keeping the cost to only $95, including the very disappointing dinner.  The workshop will be limited to 8 participants so please get in touch with me for more information and to reserve a spot.  The color is coming.

Contact me at jeffn49@myfairpoint.net, or 603-363-8338

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Introduction to Lightroom
January 2017
Spofford, New Hampshire

Around the Table

I ran my Lightroom course last winter for a small group of folks sitting around my dining room table at home in Spofford, New Hampshire.  I had intended to cap the class at eight, but because of a couple of dangling commitments I ended up with ten. It worked great, but I ended up stuffed in a corner of the room.  This year, only eight, definitely!  I ran the class as a live demonstration, with students encouraged to work along on their own laptops.  It was a new experience for me, trying to keep organized without my PowerPoint slides. I had a great time and the class seemed to enjoy and benefit from the sessions.  

As is always true of teaching a course, I learned a ton.  I thought that that four,  two hour classes would be enough to cover the program's many features,  but because of my tendency to ramble and lots of great questions, I had to add a fifth class to cover the Slide Show, Book and Web Modules. I probably could have used more time, but I definitely learned that 2 hours of software, even amazingly useful software, was about the limit for my mature students, especially since I held the classes in the evening.

The plan is to meet for 5, two hour sessions on successive Tuesday evenings beginning on January 10^th 2017.  The cost will be $125 for the five week course.  Again I will be limiting the class to 8 participants.     My list for this course is already long, so call or email soon.  If you miss out this time, I promise to offer it again. 

Contact me at jeffn49@myfairpoint.net, or 603-363-8338

That is the schedule for this fall and winter.  In the future I would like to expand classes to include more advanced photographic techniques including panoramas, focus stacking and HDR, and workshops to explore topics including night photography and the great variety of our New England Seasons.  Some day I may even take a stab at introducing  Photoshop to a small group of unsuspecting victims.

Looking Forward to Seeing You : Abby & Steph 1984

Please get in touch if you have any questions about upcoming programs or suggestions for future topics.

Jeff Newcomer

partridgebrookreflections.com

603-363-8338

Magical Monhegan Island

Black Head from White Head Cliff

This week I finally got back out to Magical Monhegan.  Monhegan is a small island 12 nautical miles out from the coast and a world away from our 21^st century lives.  The island is just 1.75 miles long and .75 miles wide with much of the “development” clustered around the harbor on the east side.  The single dock hosts ferries from Port Clyde, New Harbor and Boothbay, and is protected by the mostly uninhabited rocky island of Manana.  Monhegan has artist galleries, a few guest houses and a couple of seasonal hotels that have surprising good food, but it is the island’s quiet solitude which is its essential feature.  The western side is undeveloped and has tall rocky cliffs facing out to the restless Atlantic rollers.  It is reached only through a system of meandering foot paths. It is a great place for painters, birders, poets and, of course, photographers.  

Misty Manana Island lies across from Monhegan's Harbor

I first visited Monhegan about seven years ago.  It was an all to brief day trip as part of a workshop through Maine Media.  I had enough time to run from the boat across to one spot on the western cliffs and then back to see the lighthouse.  One of the island’s best features is the chance to relax and focus on your art, but that couldn’t be done in one hectic afternoon.  I wanted to go back at least for a week, but an agreement for two days was the most I could get from Susan.  I took the deal!

Angry Passage to Monhegan

Window on Port Clyde

After exploration of the classic Maine fishing village of Port Clyde, we took the ferry for the hour long trip to the island.  The protection of Monhegan’s harbor was welcome after a rough voyage.  We knew that the weather was going to be marginal for our two days so, after quickly settling into our room at the John Sterling House, we ran out to take advantage of the decent conditions for a hike to the cliffs on the western side of the island.  

White Head

The rocky shore is classic Maine, and we worked our way south from Burnt Head to Lobster Cove over irregular terrain.   The Cliff trail is a spectacular combination of dramatic sheer cliffs and paths cut through lovely wild autumn vegetation.  This time of year the Asters are especially thick and colorful.   













 
Toward the southern end of the island, Lobster Cove features the rusting wreck of the “Sheridan”.  On a fogy night in 1948 this 100-foot ocean-going tug lost its way and fetched up on the rocks.  Most of the islands many wooden wrecks deteriorated quickly, but this iron vessel has remained a reminder of the unforgiving character of the northern Atlantic. 

Wreck of the Sheridan

Monhegan Lighthouse

Keeper's Window

Monhegan’s rocky shore represents a substantial threat to navigation and much has been done to warn passing ships.  Most notable is the Monhegan Lighthouse.  The present brick structure was built in 1850 and is located at the island’s highest point.  It is 47 feet tall and is the second highest lighthouse in the state of Maine.  The lighthouse was automated in 1959 and its surrounding structures are now home to a small but well-arranged museum, covering the natural and social history of the island.

Harbor Inn

Monhegan is definitely a world apart but, at least in season, it is definitely not an isolated wasteland. Our room was nicely appointed and offered a view to the busy little harbor.  Sleeping was wonderful with the fresh sea air and the gentle sounds of the waves lapping on the rocks.  Each night we enjoyed excellent meals at the nearby Harbor Inn and after dinner settled into rockers on the inn’s porch, overlooking harbor and at least a sliver of sunset color.

 

Filtered Sunset

Our second full day was marked by intermittent light showers.  I’m a photographer, so I love bad weather, but anticipating downpours, we kept closer to home.  We explored the village and the lighthouse museum.  The sunset was filtered by clouds bathing the harbor in a magical pink glow, as the last light faded.

Misty Cliffs and Fairy Villages

Fairy Cottage

The next day dawned clear but with a dense fog.  I love fog and, before our return boat at noon, we managed another hike to the western cliffs.  We wandered through the Cathedral Woods which has an appearance reminiscent of the dense rain forests of the Pacific Northwest.  Hidden in a few of its glades are villages of “Fairy Houses”, which appear to have magically appeared.   We made our way to White Head which offers a view to the cliffs of Black Head located near the northern end of the island.

Marshall Point Blooms

 Marshall Point Light
 Our return trip to the mainland was foggy and uneventful.  Ending up at Port Clyde, I had to make a quick stop at nearby Marshall Point Lighthouse.  The harsh mid-day light was a problem but I have enjoyed visits to the lighthouse in much nicer conditions.  This time I focused on the flowers around the keeper’s house and then surrendered to Susan’s insistence that we get on the road for the long drive home.

Monhegan is a uniquely magical part of the Maine coast.  It is definitely worth a trip.  I will definitely be back.  I would love to settle in for a relaxing week or two, but until Susan is ready to escape to write her great American novel, I may have trouble getting her to dessert civilization for that long.  In the meantime, I have work to do as I wade through the 700 images from this visit.  Perhaps more pictures next week, but autumn is coming! and I have to prepare for my Fall Foliage Workshop coming up on October 14-16^th.

I will place images of Monhegan as I get to them in a gallery on my web site.