Posts Tagged ‘ New Hampshire ’

Down by the River

January 8, 2012
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Ahhh.   The last couple of days we have had above normal temperatures with no snow on the ground.  Nice New England weather, minimal color to capture on camera, but a great day for a walk.

I was asked and encouraged by my friend Kevin to go for an afternoon walk with him and my camera.  We took a stroll along the railroad tracks, over and under bridges, and rock hopped along the river’s path to capture some early winter scenes.  It’s been awhile since I’ve had the opportunity to take the time to walk with a friend and be encouraged to press the shutter button.  Thanks Kevin for putting extra smiles on my face and looking after me so I don’t fall into the river as I continued to take the “one more shot” before we head back home.

 

My Mind is Elsewhere

December 23, 2011
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For the next week, I will be concentrating on my personal project, Road to Recession.  If you want to follow along with my discoveries and personal experiences from the “road trip”, you will need to either bookmark or subscribe to  this page or follow me on Twitter.

Hope you have a wonderful Holiday!

Road to Recession

December 11, 2011
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Well, it will be about two weeks when I’ll be taking on a challenge…
With the frigid temperatures in New Hampshire, one of my dogs and I will be traveling to several areas in NH living out of a truck while we search for healthy food and charitable resources. I will be taking on some of the daily struggles the homeless do in order to survive. Follow me during Dec. 26, 2011 through January 2nd, 2012 as I visit NH homeless shelters, food pantries, and soup kitchens throughout the week.

Follow me on Road to Recession.  Please leave any questions you may have on this project. I will do my very best to find out the answers for you.  Big thanks!

Unexpected Snow in New Hampshire

October 30, 2011
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Well, this year is coming to a close much sooner than I planned.  Snow accumulation in October?  Before getting in any raking and final yard clean up?  The next morning, after the sun had been out for several hours, I figured I better get a reading of how much snow accumulated before it melted away (not fast enough on the melting). Check it out!

The unexpected weather has given me something to shoot for. Not far from home, just outside the window, the winter/fall combination on the trees becomes unforgettable.  And through all this… I never lost power! :)

What a delight to see this time of year!

Rodeo in NH

September 4, 2011
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I grabbed my camera and met some friends at the Hopkinton State Fair to watch the Rodeo in the Grandstand.  I started out in the bleachers, but soon enough became too antsy to be confined to a seat, so I needed to find a better spot to capture the event.  I approached the fence – the closest you can get as a spectator and was disappointed.  The fence was in the way, bad angle to capture the event, and I would be blocking the view from the people sitting in the front row. Julie, a wife of one of the riders (whom I’ve never met before), was there watching her man prepare for their competition.  I asked her a couple of questions about the risks of bull riding.  She answered the questions, then asked me if I worked for “the paper”.  I told her: “No, I’m taking pictures for personal use and this is my first Rodeo experience.”  That was all I needed to say…  Five minutes later, Julie had me in the safety pen with the cowboys.  It’s amazing what doors open up when you are willing to make conversation with a camera and a smile.  I was the closest you can get to the bulls, the action, and the risk without being on the bull.

I was trying to find the right formula to prepare my camera for the low-light situation with the overhead floodlights being my main light.  The lighting, my lens, and flying dirt from the bulls pounding their hooves, wasn’t easy on the camera.  I pushed my camera to it’s limit, trying to capture the fast action in a low-light situation.  I was ill-prepared and challenged with one lens (my 70-300 lens) and had only the environment light (no flash) to work with.  I needed a faster shutter speed and wider aperture.  I cranked my ISO up to 3200 and the lens was as wide as it could go.

 

I’m truly grateful to have had the up close and personal experience at the rodeo. I was within 5 feet from the bulls as they waited their turn to challenge a rider in the arena. To be there to capture the cowboys on camera as they prepared for competition and as they rode bad-tempered bulls was truly amazing!

I hope to meet these guys again someday with a better lens.