Tethered :: NH

Another one from the archives. It was a beautiful, foggy sunrise and after I’d taken my grand landscape shots, we wandered a bit to see if anything caught our eyes. The dog was happy just to sniff around while I took photos of this and that.

Suddenly, the dog’s ears perked up and my other half called over to me. “Did you hear that?”

Do photographers EVER hear things when they’re lost in their creative flow? The obvious answer was no.

But, he swore up and down that he caught a glimpse of something BIG in the woods near the pond. And being in moose and bear territory, we decided it was time to shove off.

At least I got this photo. 🙂

Atmospheric :: NH

Atmospheric :: NH

The day before had been dreary. Foggy. Damp. But eventually, the sun shines again. ❤

A wonderful metaphor for life, eh?

2020 has been difficult for most of us, but I believe it will get better.  Not just with time–though, of course that will be needed–but with a positive outlook, ingenuity, pairing common sense and sound science, perseverance, and with making sure your elected officials consider your needs when making policy.  If you’re unhappy with how 2020 has been progressing, then you need to make your voice heard.  VOTE!

Relic :: NH

Relic :: NH

“Do it for the ‘gram!” – People who ruin it for the rest of us.

This fall, Melissa and I took a trip to lower VT/NH for some foliage shots. We stopped at a quiet spot for sunrise, then schlepped over to Madame Sherri’s. It’s been on the list of places to see for a long time and we were finally checking it off.

We get there and the place was over run with people. Knowing this is a popular and unique location though, I was willing to be patient and wait my turn. Everyone has the same right to experience this spot, right?

But then a college-aged looking girl started climbing the stairs and perched over the top arch. The arch that clearly has a crack in it. The arch that looks likely to fall first.

Maybe it’s the nurse in her. Maybe it’s the mom in her. Either way, Melissa called out, suggesting that it wasn’t safe and that she would come down the steps a bit.

The girl’s mother, who was taking shots of the girl on her cell phone, turned to us and said it was fine. And heck, she’s the girl’s guardian so who are we to disagree?

But truth be told, it rankled. In part, because no one wants to see a kid get hurt if that thing crashes down. But also, if someone is up there when it does eventually crumble, and they get injured, Everyone will lose access to the ruins.

So many people these days have an entitled, short-sighted attitude. While I fully support an adventurous mindset, I also believe in safety and conservation; those things don’t have to be mutually exclusive, but the I-do-what-I-want mentality really throws a wrench into things.

Ultimately, the girl came down off of the stairs safely, but how many people will see her post on social media and think to mimic her? We all have a responsibility to set good examples. If we aren’t willing to speak up when we see something dangerous and to preserve our special places (environment, planet, etc) now, then what are we leaving for our children? Once the places or access is gone, it’s gone.

If you’re interested in prints this gift-giving season, let me know.  You can find a gallery’s worth of options here.

 

Stolen Moment :: NH

Stolen Moment :: NH

Lonesome Lake has been on my radar for years, ever since I saw a post about it on The Outbound. I fiiiiinnnnaaallly made it up there this fall, and as we reached the edge of the lake we saw…. nothing. The entire lake was socked in with fog. Lol But, we came to hike, so that’s what we did. We took a trip around the lake, enjoying the way the fog looked through the trees and tall grasses, thinking it was still pretty even if it wasn’t what we anticipated. As we got closer to the hut, this view opened up. It was a short window, maybe 15-25 minutes? But it was spectacular!

Life isn’t always what you expect it to be, but that doesn’t mean that it’s bad. It’s just different, and sometimes, different can be so dang beautiful. ❤

The Best Mountain in Southern NH

A few weeks ago I finally got a chance to hike Mt Monadnock, which I’d stumbled across on the internet about a year before. It did not disappoint. Once you get south of the Greens in VT and the Whites in NH, good mountain views (especially day hikes) are tough to come by in New England….with the exception of Monadnock.

You can read more (and see more pictures) of my trip on the Outbound here.

Special thanks to Jorge for the company (and modeling skillz) on the hike. 😊 When he isn’t hiking w me, he is a barber at a great new shop in Meriden, CT called J.Scott&Co. If you need your hair did, give them a try!

10 Must See Places You Need to Photograph This Summer (New England Area Edition)

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Exploration and landscape photography go hand-in-hand, but finding time to research potential locations can be challenging.  If your time is at a premium, but you want to see some of the beauty of the Northeastern region of the US (and beyond) has to offer…this list is for you.

Light The Sky :: Maine

1)   Acadia:  This is a no-brainer.  Acadia is a gorgeous national park that highlights the natural, rugged beauty of northern New England.  Furthermore, there is something for everyone and every fitness level in Acadia, from relaxed strolls to involved hikes.  Several of the beautiful, varied landscapes are easily accessible, with convenient parking and short walks to the site.  Personal favorites are Sieur de Monts and Little Hunter Beach.

 

Vigilance :: RI

2)      Rhode Island lighthouses: For the purposes of landscape photography, Rhode Island has some great shore line.  Although not as rugged as Maine’s coastline, there is still a great variety of rocky foreground shoreline and sandy beaches along the ocean sides of the state.   Because there is so much rocky shoreline, there are also several beautiful, accessible lighthouses in the state.  Personal favorites are Beavertail in Jamestown, RI and the lighthouses on Block Island.

 

Shades of Gray :: MA

3)      Cape Cod, MA: The small towns and beaches that make up “The Cape” are a perfect representation of what makes the shore of New England so irresistible.  There are picturesque sandy beaches, salt marshes and lighthouses mixed in with iconic New England villages.  As a bonus (depending on you how you feel about the booming population), you can likely try your hand at Grey Seal photography. Personal favorites are Grey’s Beach boardwalk and the hike out to the Provincetown lighthouses.

 

In Wildness :: NH

4)      White Mountains National Forest area:  If you are looking for rugged wilderness, hiking, camping, waterfalls, ponds and birch trees then the White Mountains are for you.  The National Forest is well maintained, but retains a strong sense of nature throughout the entire area, including the land surrounding the green space.  Personal favorite hikes are Mount Washington (mountain and waterfalls), and Pondicherry (site of our forest and ponds workshop).

 

Currents :: Vermont

5)      Vermont Green Mountains area: The Green Mountain area of Vermont is interesting in that it is interspersed with pockets of civilization throughout, but never loses the magical feel of an untouched wild space.  There are plenty of mountains views, forest hikes, waterfalls and wildlife (moose!) to be had in upper Vermont.  As a bonus, it’s not far from Lake Champlain.  Personal favorite hikes are Camel’s Hump and Sterling Pond.  Personal favorite, easily accessible waterfall is Moss Glen in the Green Mountain Forest

 

Winds of Winter :: Massachusetts

6)   Quabbin Reservoir, MA:  Massachusetts gets two listings because the Quabbin is that nice.  This reservoir used to be four towns that were removed and the valley was flooded to provide drinking water for Boston.  If the creepy abandoned relics factor isn’t enough for you, then the generally flat hikes, biking and abundant wildlife are sure to win you over. Personal favorite is Hanks Meadow on the lower Quabbin shore.

 

Round and Round She Goes :: Canada

7)      Niagara Falls, NY / Canada: For those of you who have a passport, Niagara is a MUST SEE.  The falls themselves are the kind of powerful that leaves your jaw on the floor and your knees a little shaky.  There are locations and activities along both sides of the border, but in my opinion, the Canadian side does it best.  It can be a bit “touristy” in town, including a giant ferris wheel to get the best view of the falls light show up at night, but there is a wider variety of things to participate in.  Personal favorites are Cave of the Winds (American side) and the butterfly sanctuary (Canadian side).

 

The Space Between :: Ricketts Glen, PA

8)   Ricketts Glen in PA: What if I told you there was a park with 21 beautiful waterfalls in Pennsylvania?  Now, what if I told you that 18 of those waterfalls were easily accessible along a 3 mile hike?   Ricketts Glen is a photographer’s day hiking paradise giving you a lot of bang for your buck.  (Or time, as the case may be!)  Personal favorite is Oneida Falls.

 

Breathing Dreams :: NY

9)   Upstate NY gorges: There is a reason that Ithaca, NY’s slogan is “Ithaca is Gorges.”  The area surrounding Ithaca is loaded with rock walls and stunning waterfalls.  The waterfalls vary from “eh” to “dang!”, the sheer volume of photographic opportunities makes this area worth a mention.  Personal favorites are Watkins Glen (if you’re looking for a good return on your time investment, and extremely well-manicured paths) or Taughannock Falls if you’re looking for drama.

 

Sounds of Silence :: Connecticut

10)   Connecticut’s Quaint Pockets of Nature:  Connecticut is interesting in that the entire state is the attraction.  It is loaded with small working farms, fishing villages, so much forest.  In fact, we’re kinda famous for our foliage in the Fall.  Personal favorites are Enders State Forest for waterfalls and foliage, and either Lighthouse Park or Walnut Beach/Silver Sands Beach for fun shoreline photos.

 

Now get out there and take some pictures!

Seeing Spots Photo offers day lessons, including guided site visits to some of our favorites locations.  For more information about that, check out our private sessions page.

 

Learn With Us

“It’s alllliiiivvveeee!!”

Well, the New Hampshire workshop page is ‘live’, anyway. And much less spooky than Frankenstein. ::-)

In fact, of all of the ways we hope you describe our workshops…spooky isn’t one of the words we hope you choose. Lol We are shooting (heh…camera joke) for fun, informative, super-awesome-rad and since we can’t predict the weather this far out…sunny.

Now, we do have an early bird special going on for those of you who already know you want to make a trek to the White Mountains of New Hampshire this fall. You know…beautiful mountainous views….New England fall foliage…great hikes…waterfalls…

 

What I’m saying is, the White Mountains in autumn are incredible. You should plan to be there the weekend of September 26. And while you’re there, you should attend our workshop. 🙂

 

Get more information about it here, or shoot us an email at seespotsphoto@yahoo.com

 

The Light Lingers

Painted Fire :: NH

The light lingers, colors of fire and gold painting the hills, caressing the world in one final embrace.

The Pillars

The Pillars :: New Hampshire

When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence. -Ansel Adams

 

New Hampshire is a such a beautiful state. This fall, we will be taking some students up into the White Mountain area for a one day workshop. If that’s something you’d be interested in, sign up for our newsletter so we can keep you informed. Announcement should be coming in the next month or so. 🙂

If you think a private lesson is more your speed, contact us and we can put together a lesson plan tailored to your needs.

And finally…for those of you on Instagram, we have a new project we have started meant to help people meet other great pphotographers, chat, and grow a sense of community among our awesome supporters and friends. If you’re on IG, please give @i_took_a_photo a follow. If you want your own images shared, tag them #w_my_camera. 🙂

See what we did there? @i_took_a_photo #w_my_camera ….. Heh. Heh.

Hilarious.

Xoxo!

Shannon

Poetry of the Earth

Poetry of the Earth

And he showed me things

Many beautiful things,

That I hadn’t thought to explore.

They were off my path,

So I never had dared.

I had been so careful,

I never had cared.

 

This is an image of Crawford Notch, in New Hampshire taken last fall on a scouting trip with my photo partner in crime (partner in photo?) David Pasillas. There is something very powerful and empowering about just exploring, finding beautiful spaces and the capturing memories. As I said in a recent interview with Laura Macky, I wonder how long some of these spaces will be around and I feel so grateful that I am able to see and experience them before they change, for better or (more likely) worse.

 

The sky was full of movement that day, opening and closing windows between the clouds. I took a few versions of this over the course of perhaps 15 minutes, and the highlights of the landscape were significantly different for each.

 

It wasn’t the golden hour, or the deep shadows of blue hour…but watching the light dance across the scene was its own brand of magic.