architecture « Photographs by Frank

13 January 2022

Greetings From Brattleboro, VT

Filed under: architecture,Landscapes,Misc.,Winter — Frank @ 11:30 PM

This afternoon, I made a visit to the Vermont Center for Photography in Brattleboro to see the members exhibition. I have two prints in the show.

After I finished taking in the exhibit, I took a walk around downtown with camera in hand.

There were few people around even though it was quite mild. The temperature was right around freezing. I’m not much of a “people photographer anyway. However, I found plenty of other things to photograph.

This is probably not the impression of Brattleboro that the Chamber of Commerce would like one to have… but here it is!

Greetings

Three Windows (The Old VCP)

Functional Fun/Cheap Thrills

Poetry

Window/Vines

Sushi

Untitled

Ghost Window

View from the Top (of the garage)

Once I warmed up my visual sensibility, as I often do, I saw interesting details everywhere.

Untitled #1

Untiled #2

Untiled #3

Untiled #4

Untiled #5

Untiled #6

Untiled #7

Untiled #8

Untiled #9

Untiled #10

Vine #1

Vine #2

Untiled #11

(Tri)Angles

The alley way that runs behind the buildings on the east (river) side of Main Street is, most definitely, not what most visitors see of Brattleboro. It is interesting none-the-less.

No War But...

Bogus Lives

Growth

EGKO?

Alien

Peace

Found You

More Trouble

Love

Sell Out

Soul Tramp

Feeling Free

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22 December 2021

The Twin Cabins

Filed under: architecture,Monadnock Region — Frank @ 9:00 AM

Real estate on Gregg Lake rarely comes up for sale on the open market. Rather, it is mostly passed from one generation to the next within families. Last winter, the “twin cabins” as we call them (two small cabins squeezed onto a tiny lake shore plot) were sold.

Come spring there was some “sprucing up” activity, but no significant change to the cabin’s exteriors with the exception two small signs that appeared, one above the door of each cabin. Clearly the new owners are baby boomers with a wonderfully understated wit!

If you are not a baby boomer, or otherwise need a hint, see this.

While I had the ultra-wide angle lens* on the camera, I also made a photograph of one of my favorite views as I passed by on the way home.

The Twin Cabins with Gregg Lake in the Background

Cabin on the Left (detail)

Cabin on the Right (detail)

Looking North from the Gregg Lake Road Bridge

* The first and last photos in this post were made with a 10.5 mm fisheye lens. I was the only way to get both cabins in the same frame.

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12 July 2021

Barns, Flags, Vanes, Etc.

Filed under: architecture,Landscapes,Summer — Frank @ 8:30 PM

I had business in Newport (NH) today. I headed north via Hillsborough, Windsor, Washington, and Goshen. My return route took me through Unity, Lempster, Marlow and Stoddard.

Although the light was drab and it rained lightly on and off the entire trip, I made photographs on both legs of the trip.

Barn with Flag (Windsor, NH)

Sugarhouse with Flag (Windsor, NH)

Barn with Flag (Goshen, NH)

Barn (Newport, NH)

Shed (Unity, NH)

Firehouse Vane (Unity, NH)

Bandstand Vane & Swallow (Unity, NH)

Bandstand Bunting (Unity, NH)

Polaris and Santa (Unity, NH)

Schoolhouse (Lempster, NH)

Schoolhouse Interior (Lempster, NH)

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24 September 2020

Yesterday’s Photos

Filed under: architecture,Early Fall,Landscapes,Monadnock Region — Frank @ 10:00 PM

I left the house yesterday morning about ten on a mission. I first headed to Littleton, MA to meet my friend (and stalwart commenter here) Joe.

Joe’s car was loaded with cameras… roughly four dozen. A friend of Joe’s had decided to down-size his collection of antique cameras and I was glad to facilitate their donation to the Vermont Center for Photography.

After transferring the cameras to my truck I headed directly to Brattleboro (where the VCP is located) to deliver the goods.

One the way back home, I made a couple of stops at favorite places to photograph in Marlborough and Harrisville. The late afternoon light was nice and, at least in some directions, there were interesting clouds.

I pulled into the driveway at six on the dot. It ’twas a successful day.

Mount Monadnock - Early Foliage (with the camera obscura)

Barn Windows

Barn Window

Monadnock Mail

Roadside Oddity #42

Harrisville Mill Buildings

Comments (1)

2 August 2020

Early Saturday Morning

Filed under: architecture,Landscapes,Monadnock Region,Still Life,Summer — Tags: abstracts, dereliction, trucks — Frank @ 5:30 AM

Yesterday morning, one of the photo groups I belong to met (in Brattleboro) for the first time since March. We met outdoors in a park, wearing masks, etc.

I got up early and left the house before seven hoping to catch some good light and make some photographs. My first stop, as I headed west on Route 9 was “the truck”. This derelict truck sitting in a roadside field in Stoddard has been a favorite subject since it appeared a few years ago.

The light was just perfect and I spent fifteen or twenty minutes photographing “the truck” and its neighbor. I just discovered “the neighbor”, a second derelict truck maybe fifty feet from “the truck” and hidden from the road by some trees. I have no idea how long “the neighbor” has been there. I’ll be going back as the light on “the neighbor” will be best late in the day.

The Truck

Truck Detail #1

Truck Detail #2

Truck Web

Truck Detail #3

Truck Detail #4

Truck Detail #5

Truck Detail #6

The Neighbor

Truck Detail #7

Truck Detail #8

After breakfast at the diner in Keene (with outdoor seating) my next stop was the Stonewall Farm in western Keene. I took a short stroll around the farm and found lots to photograph.

Stonewall Farm -- Tractor Detail #1

Stonewall Farm -- Tractor Detail #2

Stonewall Farm -- Tractor Detail #3

Stonewall Farm -- Latch Hook

Stonewall Farm -- Safety

Stonewall Farm -- Blue Metal

Stonewall Farm -- Tools

Stonewall Farm -- Red Maple

Stonewall Farm -- Green Maple

Stonewall Farm -- Silo Detail #1

Stonewall Farm -- Silo Detail #2

Stonewall Farm -- Silo Detail #3

Stonewall Farm -- Silo Detail #4

My original plan was to make a third stop at the Chesterfield Gorge. However, I looked at the time and decided I did not have time. This was the correct decision as I made it Brattleboro with about twenty minutes to spare before our 10 AM get together.

Comments (1)

10 March 2020

Today’s Meander

Filed under: architecture,Landscapes,March — Frank @ 11:00 PM

This week is town meeting week. Elections for town offices were held today and the town meeting is Thursday evening.

“Meeting” is one of the three “M words” associated with March in northern New England. The other two are “mud” and “maple”. Mud season has been unexciting this year. Judging from the great plumes of steam emanating from local sugar shacks, the sap is running well.

After I voted this morning, I meandered, with cameras in tow, through Hillsborough and Deering with short traverses through “corners” of Hennicker and Francestown. I stopped at a favorite farm on Bear Hill Road in Hillsborough and discovered a new (to me) church in East Deering.

By the time I got to East Deering the interesting skies had turned smooth gray and it had begun to drizzle. I’ll be returning to East Deering when the conditions (light and skies) are better.

Farm Pond, Hillsborough, NH

Barns, Hillsborough, NH

Shed Window

Church, East Deering, NH

Church (detail), East Deering, NH

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12 February 2020

Canterbury Shaker Village Redux

Filed under: architecture,Landscapes — Frank @ 11:04 PM

Today, I made a return visit to Canterbury Shaker Village. After my first visit I felt that there were more photographs to be made. I still think that this is true even after a second visit. We’ll see.

The large majority of the photographs I make with the camera obscura are intended to be black and white. In my mind monochrome is just part of the “feel” of these images.

However, every once in a while, an image just begs to be left as a color photograph. This was the case today. The yellow of the Ministry Shop in contrast with the blue sky was just too much to lose!

Anyway, here are a few of the photos I made today. The last one was made in Canterbury Center; a few miles from the Shaker Village.

Dwelling House, Canterbury Shaker Village

Sone Wall, Canterbury Shaker Village

Garden Barn & Shed, Canterbury Shaker Village

Meeting House (right) and Ministry Shop (left), Canterbury Shaker Village

Church, Canterbury Center

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5 February 2020

Enfield Shaker Village

Filed under: architecture — Frank @ 11:00 PM

Today, I headed up to the Enfield Shaker Village. It is very different from its partner in Canterbury. Not nearly as bucolic and photogenic.

Many of the buildings are used for commercial purposes and the site is not at all secluded. The two main buildings, a church (which is not a Shaker structure) and the “Great Stone Dwelling” (the main residential building) are imposing stone edifices.

The many roof top ornaments in the neighborhood caught my eye on this mostly sunny day; any clouds around were high and thin.

Enfield Shaker Village - Mary Keane Chapel

Enfield Shaker Village - The Great Stone Dwelling

Go And Teach All Nations

Chapel Detail

Untitled #1

Stone Dwelling Cupola

Untitled #2

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4 February 2020

Chichester & Canterbury

Filed under: architecture,Landscapes,Winter — Frank @ 12:05 PM

A few weeks ago, I passed through Chichester. At the time, I was not able to stop but I added it to my the list of places to explore photographically. Yesterday, I returned specifically to make some photographs.

I had a quick sandwich for lunch at the Chichester Country Store and successfully resisted the cider donuts which they are apparently famous for. After lunch, I headed towards Canterbury.

In the many years I have lived in New Hampshire, I have never visited either of the Shaker Villages in NH (Canterbury and Enfield). That changed yesterday.

The buildings are closed for the winter but I walked the grounds making photographs with my camera obscura. The place was deserted except for a young fellow, Dan, who had set up his easel and was making a small oil painting. We chatted briefly, but the light was beginning to fade and he needed to finish his painting so I did not dally. Dan said that this lovely spot is his go to place when he needs peace and quiet. I can see why!

I’ve put Canterbury on my list of places to return to and I think that I will try to get to Enfield in the near future.

Chichester Barn #1

Chichester Church

Chichester Barn #2

Chichester Barn #3

Chichester Barn #4

Chichester Barn #5

Canterbury Shaker Village Firehouse

Canterbury Shaker Village Cow Barn Foundation

Canterbury Shaker Village Ministry Shop

Canterbury Shaker Village Dwelling House and Tree

Canterbury Shaker Village Orchard Shed

Comments (1)

23 January 2020

Harrisville Again

Filed under: architecture,Landscapes,Monadnock Region — Frank @ 10:00 PM

After my last visit to Harrisville, I had the nagging suspicion that I had missed something… that there were more photos to be had. Thus, this afternoon, I headed back… just to see what else I could find.

When I arrived, I parked next to a red Subaru with adornments one could only find in Harrisville (see the last two photos)!

I made a few more photographs, but I think that I got most of the interesting photos that could be made with the camera obscura the first time.