Revealed ! Rediscovering a Couple of Photographic Treasures

Change is Not Always Bad

Chesterfield Gorge

The only thing which is constant in New England Landscape is change.  The weather changes moment to moment.  The seasons are marvelously persistent in their rotation of color, mood and photographic opportunities.  This is what makes living and photographing in New England such a joy.  Just when you are becoming bored with the prevailing light and subjects, something changes.  We are going through one of those changes right now as the snow, and especially the cold!, have faded and we await the explosion of the variations of green that will trumpet the onset of our wonderful spring.






Change isn't always pleasant or productive.  You have repeatedly

Screening Jenne Farm, Reading Vermont

heard me bemoan the change that can rob us photographic opportunities.  Classic New England buildings have collapsed, or been torn down.  Centuries old trees have finally fallen to effects of time and nature, and beautiful, natural vistas have been choked with obstructing trees, bushes or new structures.  All very sad, but this week I was reminded by two examples that show how sometimes things can actually get better and, surprisingly these revelations occurred because, rather than in spite of human intervention.


Chesterfield Gorge Revealed

Last week I was revisiting some of my favorite local waterfalls to

Gorge Overgrowth, November 2012

supplement my blog article about waterfalls in Cheshire County.  Chesterfield Gorge on Route 9 between Keene and Chesterfield New Hampshire is a lovely little park that includes beautiful cascades and dramatically plunging falls. The 0.7 mile loop trail descends on one side of the steep gorge and back up on the opposite side.  Along the way there are frequent excellent views of the tumbling water, but in recent years small trees and shrubs have grown up along the steep bank to obstruct the view of the most dramatic of the waterfalls.  The tumbling 75 foot drop was screened by a tangle of branches in the winter and nearly obliterate by summer foliage. The gorge has been largely ignored by the state, but in the last few years a group of dedicated volunteers have

Liberated Gorge, April 2014

formed the "Friends of Chesterfield Gorge" and have been working tirelessly to improve gorge's facilities and trails.  I recently approached one of the Friends about the overgrowth at the falls and he told me that they had already taken care of much of the problem.  On my visit last weekend I was thrilled to have my first clear view of the falls in years.  A few stray branches remain and will become more evident as they fill with foliage, but overall it is an amazing improvement.  Thanks to the Friends I actually can celebrate the return of a classic photographic site.  Take THAT entropy!

Jaffrey Meeting House View


The Jaffrey Meeting House is the focus of the Old Jaffrey Center. 

Jaffrey Meeting House

Separated from the developed hub of the town, the old center wonderfully preserves the sense of a classic New England village.  The Meeting House was raised on June 17, 1775, the day of the Battle of Bunker Hill. It was recorded that the workers could hear the distant canon fire from Charlestown over 60 miles away.  I have photographed the Meeting House from
all directions and in all seasons.  It overlooks a peaceful green and a classic stonewall bordered New England cemetery. 

Wooded Cemetery, August 2006

 In past years the cemetery featured a scattering of stately old trees shading

Cemetery Cleared

portions of the grounds and providing interesting patterns of light and shadow, but the trees created another problem.  I have seen old pictures of the Meeting House standing proudly with Mt Monadnock majestically looming in the background, but I was never able to find a angle with a clear view of the mountain.  The trees on the green and within the cemetery had grown to smother the once perfectly aligned tableau.  In the winter I could see through the web of branches to get a sense of the glorious view, but I could never find a way to avoid the screen.  Last year I was a bit annoyed to discover that the Meeting House caretakers had removed some old trees from the cemetery and green.  As a devote tree-huger, I mourned the loss, but on a visit this spring I realized what had been done.  It was with a sturdy dope slap that I turned around and saw that the vista to Mt Monadnock seems to have been restored.  The final verdict will need to wait until the leaves fill in, but, at this point it looks like the mountain will be shining through.  I can't wait to recreate my Meeting House pictures this year to include the mountain in all its majesty throughout the seasons.  My tears for the lost trees have dried.  Now if we can only get them to bury the damn wires!

To Monadnock, April 2014

 
Over the last couple of weeks, my whining about the fading beauty of classic New England landscapes has muted a bit.  I find myself looking for other situations where man or nature has improved the view.  It just confirms that New England is about all sorts of change and that's why I think I'll hang around here for awhile.

Jeffrey Newcomer
partridgebrookreflections.com

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I'm DONE !

Daffodil Barn, Keene, NH

Enough with the Glorious Winter Already

Cold Franconia Sunrise

I had nearly completed my blog article for this week about the restoration of antique photographs and then it hit me.  I’M DONE.

I have always loved winter, especially the unique photographic opportunities that the pristine white blanket provides in the sparse angular light of the season.  We had a good share of snow this winter, but it is this year’s persistent body and soul numbing cold that has finally wrecked my spirit.  Perhaps it is my aging circulation that makes the cold more difficult to tolerate, but all would agree that this winter has been unusually frigid and without the occasional thaws that normally serve to trigger at least a breath of hope for nature’s resurrection.   I am hoping that by this weekend when I publish this article the temperatures may have moderated a bit,

Perkins Pond Spring, Troy, NH

 but at this moment I REALLY need spring and I suspect that there are many out there that share my desperate longing.   So I have decided to drop everything and spend some time strolling through my spring images, selecting a few of my favorites to share with my frozen neighbors.  These may not be my most artistic images, but rather ones that speak strongly to me of the warmth and burgeoning new  life that is the essence of spring.

I hope that these few images provide a brief respite from the chill, but if not, that's ok, this one is for me.  Feel free to prolong your vernal escape by browsing the Spring Archive on my web site.

St Matthew's Lupine, Sugar Hill, NH

The Annual Lupine Festival in Sugar Hill New Hampshire, just north of Franconia Ridge, is a blast of spring color is a spectacular setting, but for me, the real attraction of spring is the endless variety and richness of the newly erupted greens. 

Fresh Green, Brattleboro, Vermont

Too soon the soft colors become fixed in their deeper shade of summer green.

Huntington Cascade, Dixville Notch, NH

Early spring is waterfall season, with the vigorous winter run-off being the main attraction until the leaves start popping out. The season comes late to New Hampshire's North Country and it is possible to follow the early spring north much like the fall colors can be tract as they move from north to south.

Table Rock, Balsams, NH

The Balsams Grand Hotel seen from Table Rock in Dixville North, New Hampshire.  Sadly the resort is now closed, but there is hope that this classic might open again with plans for an expanded ski resort.

Curious Goat, Dummerston, Vt

Spring also is reflected in the excitement of the animals as they escape from the barn into fresh pastures with the sweatiest grass of the season.  

Dawn Pasture, Dummerston, VT

This exuberance is no better seen than in Stonewall Farm's annual "Dancing of the Ladies" when the cows go wild,  running jumping and head bumping, as they are released to pasture for the first time.

 

Dancing Lady, Keene, NH

Central Square Blossoms, Keene, NH

Every spring for just a few days Keene's Central Square becomes a festival flowers.  The trick is to fine the day when the sun is full.  I can look back on the dates of old images from the event to gauge when the vigil should begin.

Orchard Maple, Walpole, NH

 Sadly, I can't anticipate that all these favorite icons of spring will return.  Tragically, the great Oak on the Hilltop at Alyson's Orchard in Walpole, New Hampshire is now only a memory It was devastated by a  lightning strike and had to be removed last fall. 

Wildflower Barn, Westmoreland, NH

Openings, Marlborough, NH

I found one of my favorite Birch groves by accident in Reading Vermont, while looking for the famous Weathersfield Birches.  I eventually discovered that fable grove is now overgrown and no longer the treasure about which I had read.  This spot was a worthy conciliation.

Spring Birches, Reading, Vt



As I complete this prayer to spring, I'm thrilled to report that yesterday the temperature climbed tentatively into the 40's.  Anything above freezing brings hope, but next week promises colder temperatures and a chance for another storm.  That's New England.  All we can do is make the best of what nature gives us and occasionally escape into our photographs to be assured that spring will come.

Slide Show of My Full Spring Archive


 

Oh, and one more sign of spring arrived yesterday.  I discovered that the eagles have  returned to their nest on the Connecticut River, and they appear to be faithfully on guard.  Hopefully chicks will be emerging soon.

Bald Eagles on the nest, one guarding, the other bringing supper.

Spring in New England (Photo Archive)


Jeffrey Newcomer
Partridgebrookreflections.com

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Hand-Held Focus Stacking

Snow Peak, Mount Monadnock, Marlborough, NH

Using Auto-Focus Points to Hold the Frame

This week I wanted to share a simple technique to obtain multiple (or at least two) images for focus stacking while hand-holding the camera.


Focus Stacking
I have previously discuss in considerable detail the technique of focus stacking to achieve deep depth of field.  This approach
requires multiple images focused at different planes of the scene which are then combined in post processing to achieve sharpness throughout.  A key requirement of the technique is that the images all be framed to match when aligned in the computer.  With sophisticated software, such as Photoshop, the match does not have to be perfect, but typically this is best achieved with the camera locked down on a tripod.  It can be quite challenging to manually vary focus while trying to hand-hold the framing perfectly constant.  This is where my camera's auto focus points can come to the rescue.

I have never been a big fan of auto-focus for my landscape

Hibernation, Pomfret, Vt.  Two focus planes.

photography.  Even as the technology has improved, I tend to prefer to assure sharpness by manually focusing, often on a tripod and, in poor light frequently, using the Live View Screen.  But when I am faced with a scene which contains a discrete foreground and distant background,  I can often get good results with a two image stack, one focused on the foreground detail and the other on the background.  This is the situation where auto-focus can save me the chore of getting out my tripod, if I have it on hand.


Mount Monadnock
Most photographers are familiar with the technique of holding the shutter down half-way to lock focus on a part of the scene and then recomposing for the final shot.  This is most frequently used when focusing a subject that is off center, but the same technique can be used to grab a couple of images for a simple focus stack.  In the example of Mount Monadnock shot from Marlborough, New Hampshire, I locked focus on the detail of the fence and then re framed to include the distant mountain.  The first image caught the fence in clear focus and then without moving the camera I locked focus on mighty Monadnock and shot again.  As I shot the first image I carefully noted the position of the central focus point square to assist in close alignment of the second image.  In more complicated situations, fully sharp focus stacking can require more than two images, but in bright light, when I can stop down, two are often enough to get good results, especially when there are just two discrete planes of interest. 

Canon 5D Mark II Focus points

Mill Ice, Harrisville, New Hampshire
My Canon 5D Mark II has 9 focus points displayed on the screen, but only the central square is a cross sensor, vertical and horizontal, and therefore the most accurate.  When possible I try to use the central point for focus stacking but there are many times when the central point aligns with neither the foreground or background in my desired composition.  Faced with this situation I can usually find one of the other focus points that will provide the coverage I need.  In my image of the frozen mill pond in Harrisville, New Hampshire, I angled the camera down to using the top focus point to lock in the sharpness of the foreground ice and then recomposed.  In my second image, the focus point was in perfect position to catch the iconic Harrisville Public Library. 

Mill Freeze

Using one of the 8 peripheral focus points can reduce the reliability of the auto-focus, especially in dim light or low contrast. To help, I have switched my focus lock from the shutter to a button on the back of the camera that doesn't require continuous pressure to maintain the focus.  In the mill pond image, I could lock the foreground focus with the central point and then switch to the upper point ready for when I refocused on the background.  Not all cameras can switch the focus button. The directions for mine were buried in an obscure corner of my manual, but, with practice, the ability to lock focus without having to hold the shutter down, works well for me in most situations.

Focus Button on Back of the Camera

Ashuelot River, Keene, NH,
Multiple Focus Planes

The trick with this technique is to hold the camera steady as you re-press the shutter and to learn how to move the focus point around the screen.  I have gotten good enough that I will occasionally try to move the focus point within the screen to catch more than just two images for stacking.  The more manipulations I try, the harder it is to maintain the frame, but Photoshop can do some amazing things with auto-alignment.  Still it is about at this time that I grab for the tripod.




The speed and accuracy of auto-focus in modern cameras is amazing and improving all the time.  I still like to use manual focus in many landscape situation but it is important to understand your camera's focusing capabilities and to use them when the time is right.

Jeffrey Newcomer
partridgebrookreflections.com

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The "Best" of 2013

 Best Images Stories of 2013

This is the time of year when we see many photographers showing

Graze the Fence, Alstead, NH

what they feel are their best images of the year. I decided to do the same, picking favorite images is like picking favorite children.  I found myself regretting the pictures I had to leave out more than celebrating the few selected.  I ended up with   over 100 "favorites", but chopping this down to 10 was agony.  Then it occurred to me that what was really worthy of celebration was not the images, but the experiences, the locations, the people and the ideas that I have been privileged to explore over the past 12 months.  Pretty pictures are great, but they are really just the frosting on the cake.  What attracts me to photography is the treasure hunt as I learn more about the unique beauty of our region and the hunt doesn't end when I get home. In the digital darkroom I continue to search for the best ways to uncover the full potential of my images.  My goal is always to place the viewers feet in my place, to have them feel that they have stepped into the scene.  That they can see what I saw and feel what I felt.

Why I Blog

One of the major advantages of doing a weekly blog is that it forces

Farrier's Touch

me to define a mini self-assignment every week. I must assemble images and information to highlight the beauty of a  special location or theme, or to illustrate a technical point about photographic technique or post processing.  Often my photography and study is dominated by the needs of the upcoming blog, but it is a great way to keep my photography moving forward. I usually learn much more than I teach. 

So this week, instead of sharing what I think are my best images, I want to recall some of the experiences of 2013. The images may not be considered my best, but they will hopefully recall some of the best stories of this busy year. 
If you are desperate for the pretty pictures, check out my slide show at the end of the article.   Pick whichever 10 you like.

Back Roads and Unexpected Treasures
 Many of my blogs focus on the attractions of a specific New England location, some of which are familiar to me and others that I must discover along with my readers.  Here are just a few of my favorite shoots of the past year.



Meandering Vermont's Back Roads

Mill Brook, Townsend, Vermont

One of my favorite activities is to get lost on the back roads of my region.  After years of exploration it still surprises me how easy it is to finds paths I have never explored.  I started 2013 with a meander on the back roads of southeastern Vermont. As always I found new photographic opportunities and many spots to ad to my "must return" list.
Vermont Meander




 



Treasures of Dummerston Vermont 
My blog article on the attractions of Dummerston, Vermont was

Dummerston Sunset

another good example of the value of self-assignment.  My home is  just across the Connecticut River, and I had many great images of this classic New England town, but the "assignment" was the stimulus to explore new areas and angles.  I think I saw just about everything in the village, except Tom Bodette, "leaving the light on". Yes there is a Motel 6 in Brattleboro.
 Dummerston, Vermont
 




Blow Me Down Mill, Cornish 
Not all assignments are self generated.  Last spring I got a call from

Aspet House, St Gaudens Historic Site

Cam Mirisola, Senior Editor for New Hampshire To-Do Magazine looking for images for an up-coming article about Cornish, New Hampshire.  I already had plenty of pictures of the Cornish-Westminster Covered Bridge and St. Gauden's Historic Site, but the third site that she mentioned was entirely new to me.  Built in 1891, the Blow Me Down Mill was associated with the famous Cornish Art Colony.  I had a great time exploring the Mill From all angles.  The light was harsh and the trees bare, but I got some reasonable shots and last spring, I was reward with my images in NH To Do Magazine, including a two page spread.
 Blow Me Down Mill, Cornish, NH

Tale of Two Trees 
I am Primarily a landscape photographer so, by definition, I love trees. This year I had the opportunity to celebrate two special trees

Only a Memory

one which is a grand champion and the other whose grandeur is only a memory.  This summer the great Red Oak in Chesterfield's Friedsam Town Forest was identified as the largest in the county.  The tree is in good shape, but, sadly, the once majestic White Oak on the hill-top of Alyson's Orchard in Walpole had to be cut to the ground this year after being irretrievably damaged by a lightning strike.  The two events gave me the opportunity to appreciate both the strength and vulnerability of these magnificent living things that do so much to enrich our experience on earth.

Tale of Two Trees



 
Green River

Green River, Vermont

Green River is a small village in the Vermont town of Guilford. 
The village is quintessential New England with a classic covered bridge, a lovely timber frame dam and water fall, a typically austere white New England church, a welcoming country Inn and of course the mandatory red barn.  For me, the place has been a favorite photography spot for years. No matter how many times I return, I always find new inspiration.   This year I finally, and reluctantly, shared the secret of this hidden treasure. 
Green River, Vermont



 



Seeing in the Dark
This was a year for exploring the night sky as everyone seemed to discover the capability of fast digital sensors to probe deep into space and time.

Comet PanSTARRS

Comet PanSTARRS

2013 brought the promise of two, potentially spectacular Comets.  As it turned out Comet ION was a disappointment, but earlier in the year I was able to chase down Comet PanSTARRS.  The comet was barely visible to the eye, but, though the power of my digital camera's high IOS capability, I was able to capture it on a couple of evenings.  I even was able to sucker my friend Bob to join me for a cold evening to see the comet from the hill at Apryl's Orchard in Walpole, New Hampshire.
Comet PanSTARRS


 


In Search of the Milky Way
In any photographic exploration of the night sky, the most prominent feature by far is the Milky Way.  We have become aware of capability of high ISO sensors to show the band of light from our galaxy at an intensity far beyond the ability of our eyes to perceive,  even on the clearest night.  The digital camera has become a time machine capable of looking back in time tens of thousands of years.  This year I learned more about the techniques needed to capture the night sky, how to predict the location of the Milky Way and  how to plan my shoots to place the Galactic band behind interesting foregrounds.  The Milky Way is the obvious center of

Old Faithful & Andromeda

attention in many night sky images, but one of my favorite attractions is the Andromeda Galaxy.  Our closest neighboring large galaxy is 2.5 Million lights years away and to the unaided eye is a barely perceptible smudge in the sky, float below the constellation Cassiopeia. It is much better seen through the digital camera. I first discovered the galaxy by accident about a year and one-half ago while taking night photos of the eruption of Old Faithful in Yellowstone, but  now I'm always looking for this distant neighbor.  It is remarkable to look at light which has been traveling since the human species was in its early development.
The Glory of the Milky Way




Back to the Sea and That Means Lighthouses



Whaleback Dawn

I grew up on the New England coast and I try to get back as often as I can.  This year I was fortunate to have a few fruitful trips.  After failing last year, this year's annual summer visit to Rye Beach, NH was rewarded with a spectacular sunrise over  Whaleback
Lighthouse and a dramatic full double rainbow floating over the ocean.  In the autumn, Susan and had great time exploring around Camden, Maine.  The weather started rainy, but I was able to capture early morning light on Camden Harbor and a classic sunset at Marshall Point light.  Finally I got to Nubble Light when I was able to sneak away from an admittedly lovely wedding of the daughter of one of our good friends.

Rye Beach and Whaleback Lighthouse

Camden and the Middle Maine Coast

Atlantic Rainbow, Rye Beach, NH

Special Projects
In 2013 I had the opportunity to shift from my usual photography and explore new modes of expression.

Monadnock Documentary
In 2013 I continued to enjoy being a small contributor to Rabbit Ear Films as we work to produce a feature length documentary about our region's iconic feature, Mount Monadnock.  Most of the filming has been completed and the difficult editing phase is underway.  Our goal is to complete the film next year.  For me it has been a unique learning experience as I have come to understand the differences between what works for video as opposed to stationary landscape photography.  As a member of the Rabbit Ear Board of Directors I am experiencing the many complexities of assembling a top quality film, from the fund raising, to coordination of script, video, music and narration, and planning for promotion and distribution.  It is fascinating, but at times it reminds me of how easy it is to go out and photograph a tree. 
Monadnock Documentary Film (Check out our Trailer)



Chesterfield Conservation Commission Web Site
This year, I finally renovated our Chesterfield Conservation  Commission web site.  The previous site dated back to a time when I was still coding by hand in HTML.  Needless to say, it was getting very clunky.  The overhaul was simplified by the fact that I used Zenfolio, the portfolio system that I had just used to redo my own photography web site.  The Commission site is loaded with great information, including descriptions and maps of public lands, information on events and general conservation resources.  The system makes updates simple and intuitive and most importantly changes can be easily made by any member of the commission.
Chesterfield Conservation Commission Web Site


Sound
At the end of last year I upgraded my portfolio site using Zenfolio.

Recorder & Dead Cat

Part of the program is the capability to create beautiful slide shows. At first I tried adding music to the shows, but then I decided to use the sounds of nature.  I started roaming the back roads with my Zoom H4n field record looking for the sounds of birds and crickets without the background drone of civilization.  I learn how hard it was to find real quiet, how to edit audio and what exactly is a dead cat.  it was worth the effort to add the music of a New England field, the washing of waves on the Atlantic shore or the drama of a summer thunderstorm to my images.
Sounds of Nature




And Finally Christmas Lighting
My last self-assignment this year was capturing Christmas

Central Square, Keene, NH

Lighting.  My approach to this project was similar to that for  many of my blog articles.  I started by searching my photo archives for pictures of holiday lighting.  I uncovered some general themes but most importantly I discovered that I haven't shot a lot of Christmas lights. I went to work, studying the work of talented photographers, assessing where my own work had fallen short and then getting out to shoot with a fresh eye.  The goal was not just to find pretty pictures, but also to illustrate the important rules that I had learned for beautiful and memorable Christmas lights photography. 
 Christmas Lights

 


This process of reflection and study is a perfect example of how much I learn every week through the effort to assemble information that I hope will be of interest to my fellow photographers. No matter how much I think I know about a topic there is always more to discover.  I love sharing my fascination for photography with others, but it is the self discovery that keeps me coming back every week.  So I look forward to another year of explorations into the endless potential for artistry within the Digital Camera.  Thank you for coming along and sharing with others.


 Check out some of my favorite images from 2013, and Nature's sweat accompaniment.

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