Portsmouth, NH Photos Meet Up

St. John's Episcopal Church

Memorial Bridge connects NH to Maine

Dock

I turned around and found this view..

Sunset over Memorial Bridge

Last Saturday 34 members of our photo group met at Portsmouth for a walking tour, taking pictures. I have visited Portsmouth but this was the first time I walked the area, the way to tour the city.

Visiting Portsmouth you will find a beautiful seaport, rich with history, shopping and eating places. Soon Prescott Park gardens will be in full bloom, great area for macro photography. Strawbery Banke takes you back in time, seeing restored New England homes and working artisans. Oh I love this place!!!

Silver Lake Railroad, NH

Restored Silver Lake, railroad station

Restored Engine

Riley Bros Diner Lyon MA

Bob's GPS took us on a backroad, Village Road, Route 113, Silver Lake. What a pleasant surprise, we found a restored railroad station and a display of railroad cars. This station was the former Madison stop for the Boston and Maine Railroad from the late 1800s until the line's abandonment in 1972.

The station has been restored over the period from 2002-2007, and much of its original features are intact. Silver Lake Railroad is open July through Fall offering a 40 minutes ride traveling through the Chain of Ponds area, passing lily ponds, beaver ponds, scenic valley and mountains.

In the near future a restored 1941 Sterling Riley Bros Diner will open serving ice cream.

POST SCRIP:

Will said...
I work at Silver Lake RR and i must say it's great.. the owner is great, and very generous. If anyone is interested in more information, the SLRR email is silverlakerr@yahoo.com ... *** we also operate last weekend in september, and the first weekend of october, and have the halloween train the second weekend of october.. thanks for putting up this site!!!

Trees With Character and History

I have noticed my interest in photography has opened my eyes to all sorts of potential photo opportunities. My newest interest, photographing beautiful or old craggily trees, roots growing over boulders.

The weather was cold, windy not a really good day for taking photos but I don't follow the rules ::::grinning::::: I found a beautiful old white birch Flaghill Rd., Salisbury, Easter Sunday.

Check out my new tree album Trees - a set on Flickr

Unique Mailboxes

My photos are copyrighted...I appreciate your interest my photos of unique mail boxes. My photos are not free to use for your site. Please contact me if you are interested BUYING photos.

 

My back roads excursions, I have come across unique and decorative mail boxes and I decided what fun to start collecting images of my finds. Clever mail box ideas people come up are unbelievable.

You can find mailboxes show casing work themes, hobby related, replicas of homes, pets, animals, recycled milk cans, water pumps and flowers...etc.

 

Discovery: New Scenic Street (HDR Filter Playing)

Original

HDR

Orton Effect

A few weeks ago we were exploring back roads, we went to a local town's ski slope to take pictures. On the way down the mountain, we took a left realizing we never traveled this part of the road. I am so glad we did, I will be visiting the unspoiled area different seasons to photograph.

I sent my pictures as I usually do to a few close friends (we exchange daily images we shoot). My friend Bruce a shooting partner, challenged me to try the Orton effect using an HDR plugin, RdDynaMix HDR for Photo Shop. Which effect do you prefer?

Anheuser-Busch Factory Tour and Photo Opportunity Of The Clydesdales

I have always wanted to take a tour of Anheuser-Busch Factory Tour in Merrimack, NH Bob (my husband) read the company was offering a photo opportunity with Clydesdales (the first Saturday of everyone month). I have always loved the Clydesdales, having the opportunity seeing the horses close up, even pet one and photograph was inviting. Gather my equipment we headed out.

Frankly I went to see the horses but while there we took the free factory tour and we were not sorry. The tour guide talked about the history of the company, the process of brewing and packaging. After the tour you are able to sample two glasses of free beer choices and pretzel. The hospitably room also offers soda for not drinkers like us.

The Old World style Clydesdale Hamlet, the stable and courtyard are where the east coast Clydesdale are based and pampered Clydesdales are housed.

Bob's Charting Out Tours of Sugar Houses and Maple Sugaring

Cooking down process, the smell is wonderful.

A display of grades of Maple Syrup

Pond View Maple Sugar House, Weare, NH

Maple syrup runs weather is warm during the day and cold nights.

March to us means New Hampshire's Maple Weekend, March 28-29, 2009. Bob found a site New Hampshire Maple Producers' Association - Welcoming Page This year we would like to visit and photograph different sugar houses. Bob is researching, mapping out, and entering the addresses in our GPS. We have a process .

We have found wonderful recipes, tasted freshly made maple syrup, sugar on the snow, learned about the grades syrup and cooking process. In addition I have the opportunity to photograph the sugar houses, process and scenery. You can view my previous year's images click on bpdphotos.com. I'll be adding new images after the tour.

Benu's Friday Finds

Benu at Creativity--Bits and Pieces blog has started a new feature. Friday Finds.

FRIDAY FINDS will be open for entries every Friday. You may share new finds or old. First, post "A FIND" photograph in your journal. (You may copy the FRIDAY FINDS header and place it in your blog with a link back to the FRIDAY FINDS weekly column along with your entry. To do this click on the image above and save it to your computer, then open it as an image in your journal and include link to this page with that image.) Next, return to this page and add a link to JUST your entry page, not to your entire blog. To do this, click on the heading of the entry in your blog and you'll get a window that is JUST that entry. Then, copy the URL from the browser address window at the top of your screen. Paste this URL address as a comment under FRIDAY FINDS COMMENTS here. That's all there is to it. Anyone may share a FIND. All are welcome.

My Entry

Fisheye Photos: Concord, NH State House

I bought my Fisheye Lens (/ef 15mm f.2,8), adding a new dimension, creativity to my photography. Not everyone likes the distraught look when using the Fisheye Lens, I happen to like the look.

Fisheye Lens are useful for wide landscapes, wide day or night sky shots and interior pictures of houses, vehicles, architecture and other confined spaces. The lens offers very sharp images. I am learning what works best with this lens, I am having fun!!!

Keeping Myself Amused During A Power Outage

A couple of nights ago, the night of the Academy Awards, I was sitting down to watch the anticipate show. Flash, dark the power went out!!!! We were having extremely heavy snow storm that took down the power lines. Our last power outage we were without power for three days, our neighboring towns were without for days and even weeks.

We lit the candles and settle in waiting for our power to return when I had an idea. "This was GREAT time to practice with my settings and flash outside." My husband thought I was nuts and tried talking me out of going outside but I was determined!!!!

I am so glad I did not listen to him, decided to go outdoors and tried taking a few images. You decide how did I do capturing the snow, beautiful snow scenery?

80th Laconia World Championship Sled Dog Derby 2009

I attended Laconia's Sled Dog Derby, February 14, 2009, always a fun event. Lakes Region Sled Dog Club The weather was cold, windy, sunny, did not deter large, spectators crowd.

You can feel and hear the excitement the dogs experience when they are ready to race, the barking, needing to hold them back from taking off until the count off, they love racing!!! The dogs are well cared for, you can see the attachment the owners have for their dogs.

Meredith, NH Docks, Church Landing Hotel

You will very often see me showing images of Meredith, NH, a beautiful resort town. Great eating places, shopping, hotels and boat docks, even scenic during the winter. Church Landing Hotel (you can see in the distance of my photograph), decorated in a comfortable, homey, rustic decor, with fireplaces roaring during the winter.

Meredith's Great Rotary Fishing Derby on Lake Winnipesaukee, NH 2009

Anglers run quite a few lines this way hoping for the record catch.

Fishing pole. The ice is 2 feet thick.

Snowmobilers enjoy the weekend also.

" The Lodge" bobhouse has a statellite TV, stove and now a hot tub.

Fish weighed in and regisitered, waiting to see which one brings in the record. Catches are hanging for each variety of fish.

I attended one of my favorite events, I enjoy photograph yearly, The Great Rotary Fishing Derby in Meredith, NH 2009. Ice Fishing Derby, a popular event, hosted by the Rotary Club, fundraiser offers great prizes. Offers a weekend of fishing, snowmobiling and I even saw a group cross country skiing on the Lake.

Testing a New Lens: Canon Fisheye EF 15mmf/2.8, Test Images

Canon Fisheye Photo Of Our Three Season Porch.

The Of My Test Images. Tall White Pines and Bench

I bought a fun lens for my scenics and architectural for my photography. Adding creative dimensions to my images. My friend Charlie had bought a Nikon Fisheye lens, seeing his images; I discovered and loved the look the Fisheye created. After researching on photographing scenery and architect with the Fisheye, I found it would work out nicely.

Not everyone is a fan of the distraught effect on the edges and a full frame camera would work best with this lens. I will be working with my lens this weekend and post my images.

Hopkinton, NH Barn and Silo

My back roads find, an old barn and silo on Rt. 103 in Hopkinton, NH is probably my best barn discovery. I have to return all seasons and retake. Check out my Old Barns, Structure and Equipment album.

New Hampshire's Three Covered Bridges

Old Railroad/Hopkinton Railroad Bridge, # 10, Contoocook, NH

Rowell Bridge #9, Hopkinton, NH.

Dalton Covered Bridge #12, Warner, NH

My back roads excursion this past weekend, took me back to cover bridges I have previous taken photos. I like returning all seasons and times of day looking for the perfect image.

My husband and I have located all but three covered bridges....I plan on completing our journey this year. The remaining three I need photography are in the north country.