Someone has been having fun balancing stones down by the lake,
I had fun photographing the rock piles!
I wonder how long these sculptures will last.
Rock Pile #1
Rock Pile #2
Rock Pile #3
Rock Pile #4
16 August 2019
Windmills
Those who know me know that I don’t (usually) make photos on assignment. However, when my wife suggests that she needs a photo of a windmill wind turbine for the upcoming Limrik*… well you know!
I spent part of this afternoon driving the roads of Antrim looking for places to photograph the new windmills wind turbines** along the Tuttle Mountain ridge. I knew that I would not find good views if I was too close since the area is heavily wooded. Thus, I took my long lenses (300 and 600 mm) and searched for spots with an unobstructed, if somewhat distant view. I had some success.
I gave Joan fourteen photos to choose from; five of which are shown here. Hopefully one will be satisfactory!
Antrim Windmill #1
Antrim Windmill #2
Antrim Windmill #3
Antrim Windmill #4
Antrim Windmill #5
* The Antrim Limrick is our quarterly community journal. Joan is the editor. Consequently, I am the staff photographer!
** A nine windmill turbine, 28.8 MW “wind farm” on a local mountain ridge is scheduled to begin producing power shortly.
15 August 2019
Portsmouth, NH
Yesterday, I made the two hour (one way) drive to Portsmouth, NH over on the seacoast. I had arranged to pick up an old Epson printer that I am going to convert to use only black inks. (details below, after the photos).
After getting the printer safely ensconced in my truck, I took a walk, camera in hand, around downtown Portsmouth, a bit of New Hampshire that I am not familiar with.
Despite the hordes of tourists, I spend an enjoyable couple of hours. I visited a special NH Art Association exhibit at the Sheafe Warehouse in Prescott Park and a photography exhibit in their permanent gallery on State Street. The sights and sounds of the city were interesting, but I was glad to head back to the peace and quiet of our neck of the woods before too long.
Memorial Bridge
Sheafe Warehouse (detail)
Gundalow Rigging (detail)
Cafe Tables
Pilings
North Church (detail)
Portsmouth Shadows #1
Portsmouth Shadows #2
Portsmouth Shadows #3
Warning… photographer talk ahead!!!
I already have one converted printer with a set of Piezography “warm neutral” inks installed; it makes wonderful prints on all sorts of matte papers.
I am trying to decide on which ink set to use in the “new” printer. I’m torn between a set which resembles selenium toned gelatin silver prints or the “special edition” set which emulates the tones of platinum/palladium prints.
Decisions… decisions!
1 August 2019
Poking Around Town
Yesterday afternoon I headed to town to drop off some photos for an upcoming exhibition at the library. As I headed back to the truck, I noticed the nice light. There were dark gray clouds (and presumably rain) just to the south. We were clearly on the edge of this weather system.
I was inspired to get out my camera and to poke around the old Goodell Company mills across the street from the library. It sprinkled very lightly and for only a few minutes while I explored.
Most of my non-wildlife work these days is in black and white. However one of the first things that struck my eye yesterday was the wonderful combination of weathered blue paint and rusty hinges on a mill building door. Thus the resulting photo and the next one I made (of a nearby window) are rarities in my oeuvre.
After I finished poking around “downtown”, I decided to head to the Antrim Center and Meetinghouse Hill (the original “downtown”). It is about three miles from the library to the top of the hill.
I may have a need for a photo of a stone wall for the next issue of the Limrik and there are plenty of stone walls on Meetinghouse Hill. Of course, the same can be said about the rest of Antrim… or New Hampshire… or New England! However, I am particularly fond to those on Meetinghouse Hill.
On the way by, I stopped and made a couple of photographs of the Stone Church, where Joan and I were married some thirty nine plus years ago. For some reason, I have not made many photographs of this building.
Mill Door
Mill Window
Mill Building
Up!
Stone Church
Untitled
Stone Wall #1
Stone Wall #2
Stone Wall #3
Stone Wall #4
Comments Off on Poking Around Town
18 July 2019
One Intersection — Five Photographs
Two dirt roads cross in an out of the way corner of Hancock, NH.
A light rain falls.
So much photographic possibility.
Crossroads #1
Crossroads #2
Crossroads #3
Crossroads #4
Crossroads #5
20 June 2019
A Short Drive in the Rain*
This afternoon, despite the rain, I headed out to Tenney’s , our local farm stand. I was in need of a real local** strawberry fix; the first of the all-to-short season.
Of course, I took along my (current) favorite optical tool… the camera obscura. After the strawberries were safely stowed behind the seats in my truck, I decided that the rain was light enough for some photography and thus went on a short drive.
Bandstand & Vestry (Hancock, NH)
Bench, Hancock (NH) Green
Meetinghouse (Hancock, NH)
Dam & Powerhouse (Bennington, NH)
Meetinghouse (Greenfield, NH)
Bench, Greenfield NH
Bandstand (Antrim, NH)
Coke & Wood Pile
* The fourth post today. I think that that is a record!
** We have been subsisting on those inferior substitutes — the grocery store variety — for some weeks now. They are better than nothing, but not by much.
Comments Off on A Short Drive in the Rain*
Camera Obscura Photos / River Project
I am a little behind in my blogging…
Last Friday (the 14th) I headed out with the camera obscura towards Hillsborough and Henniker. The intent was to add to my river project collection. Not all of the resulting photos are “river project” material, but such is life!
Hedgehog Mountain
Farm Pond (Bear Hill Farm, Hillsborough, NH)
Contoocook River RR Bridge Piers (Near Henniker, NH)
Downtown Henniker / Contoocook River Bridge (from upriver)
Coverd Bridge Across the Contoocook at NE College (Henniker, NH)
Coverd Bridge Across the Contoocook at NE College (Henniker, NH)
Jones Road Bridge (Hillsborough, NH)
Riverine Field Near Contoocook River (Deering, NH)
8 June 2019
The River Project
Over the past several days I have headed out four times to explore (photographically) the North Branch and the Contoocook Rivers. One of these excursions was in the morning; the others were afternoon trips, after the clouds began to build as they tend to do in the summer. Clouds can make or break landscapes.
I have learned two things from these explorations. The first is that I think that I am going to stick with the camera obscura for this project. The softness of the camera obscura helps hide distracting details in the landscapes. I also simply like the unique nature of the photographs.
The second thing that has dawned on me it that this is going to be a long term project. In these four sessions, (totaling more than a dozen hours) I have covered the small fraction of the rivers that I know best. As I go further afield the process will slow down further as I will need to do significant scouting of locations. However, I am in no rush.
Powdermill Pond/Contoocook River at its Confluence with Moose Brook (Elmwood Junction, Hancock, NH)
Powermill Pond/Contoocook River -- Crotched Mountain View
Covered Bridge Across the Contoocook River (Forest Road, Hancock/Greenfield, NH)
Contoocook River: View from Forest Road Bridge
Contoocook River by the Paper Mill (Bennington, NH)
River Bottom Farm Field (near the Contoocook River, Deering, NH)
North Branch River near River Road (Antrim, NH)
North Branch River near Loveren's Mill (Antrim, NH)
North Branch River near Loveren's Mill (Antrim, NH)
Contoocook River Railroad Trestle (Bennington, NH)
Crotched Mountain Across Powdermill Pond/Contoocook River (from South Elmwood Rd, Hancock, NH)
Contoocook River at its Confluence with Nubanusit Brook (Depot Square, Peterborough, NH)
30 May 2019
Contoocook & North Branch Rivers
Inspired by a discussion at yesterday’s conservation commission meeting, I took a drive along our local rivers this afternoon .
The Contoocook River runs roughly seventy miles, from Jaffery (south of Antrim) to Pennacook (north of Concord) where it joins the mighty Merrimack. It forms the eastern border of Antrim.
The North Branch (of the Contoocook) River runs about seventeen miles, from Stoddard to its confluence with the Contoocook in Hillsborough. Most of its run is through the north part of Antrim.
I took both my “normal” camera and my camera obscura with me on the drive but I was moved to use only latter.
I am mulling beginning a larger project involving photographing along the entire length of each river. We’ll have to see how this pans out. Watch this space for future developments!
Iron Bridge Over the Contoocook River between Bennington and Antrim, NH
Contoocook River Near the Iron Bridge between Bennington and Antrim, NH
Riverine Field Near the Contoocook River, Deering, NH
Riverine Field Near the Contoocook River,Antrim, NH and Hedgehog Mountain, Deering, NH
Contoocook River from the Second NH Turnpike Bridge (Antrim and Deering, NH)
North Branch River Near River Rd., Antrim, NH
15 May 2019
Springtime in New England
Ahhh… springtime in New England!
How come that statement never conjures up visions of warm sunny weather?!
Yesterday, we awoke to snow on the ground. Not much… just enough to cover the bare ground in the garden and coat the vehicles. But it is the middle of May!
The snow was gone by mid-morning.
After lunch, I headed out on some errands. I wanted to get materials for building an electric fence. I want to try to keep the bears out of the bird feeders. Additionally, the paper for the Limrik had to get from the mill to the printers and for some reason they don’t make it with legs!
While I was out and about, I stopped and made two photographs.
Springtime Barn
Springtime Bench
