Photographs by Frank

28 June 2022

Monhegan Light

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

The lighthouse on Monhegan Island is an interesting (in that it is unpainted stone) but not particularly tall (at 47 feet) structure that can be seen from many vantage points in the village. The structure does not need to be particularly tall because it sits at the high point of the island putting the beacon at 178 feet above the water.

As with so many lighthouses, the beacon has been automated. Thus the “surplus” structures including the keepers house has been turned into a museum. We were glad to visit and learned much about both the cultural and natural history of Monhegan.

Also present on the grounds of the lighthouse is the original, hand-struck, bell from the Manana Fog Signal station. This Wikipedia article is a bit out of date as it does not state that the facility was decommissioned in 2014. The bell stands roughly five feet high.

I made numerous photos of the lighthouse from many vantage points around the village and at many different times. Here is a very few of them.

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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!

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

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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.

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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.

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* 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.

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.

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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.

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2 August 2020

Early Saturday Morning

Filed under: architecture,Landscapes,Monadnock Region,Still Life,Summer — Tags: , , — 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.

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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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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