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New Hampshire

29 images Created 19 Feb 2024

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  • A vivid pink light is cast on Mount Jefferson in the Presidential Range of New Hampshire as seen from the Gulfside Trail along the ridge.
    Mount Jefferson Alpenglow.jpg
  • A vivid sunrise lights the sky above Mount Adams in the Presidential Range of New Hampshire as seen from near the Gulfside Trail along the ridgeline.
    Mount Adams Sunrise.jpg
  • I've seen some really nice scenes since going hard into winter hiking in the past 3 years, but this is going to be hard to beat. I loved this spot on the side of Middle Sister, looking at Chocorua. This was my first time up here, and although our goal was to make it to Chocorua, once we reached this spot, I didn't want to go any further. The light was stunning as the sun peeked between two layers of clouds on the horizon. I scrambled around looking for interesting compositions, and landed on this slope with a cool spire of a conifer covered in snow along with the diagonal line of the slope to juxtapose with the setting sun. We were completely elated at how beautiful it was!
    Heaven and Nature Sing.jpg
  • One of my favorite photos from the nighttime hike up Mt. Washington was this classic view of the summit sign, with a twist. I had no idea that the big dipper would be perfectly placed in the frame. Because I was photographing with such a shallow depth of field, the stars in Ursa Major were out of focus, and therefore much larger than they would have been if everything was tack sharp. I improvised with lighting by laying my headlamp down in the snow and the illumination on the building in the background was from moonlight. It was such a beautiful night, and reminded me a lot of my time on Katahdin last year, especially the unexpected alignment of a major constellation. I am a lucky guy.
    Big Dipper over the summit of Mount ...jpg
  • This well known birch path in New Hampshire was pretty awesome to behold. I wanted to photograph it differently than those who came before more, and luckily we had a lot of rain before and there was a pretty substantial puddle. I'll definitely be coming back here!
    Birch Stand Reflections.jpg
  • This less-known cascade below Crystal Cascade on the Tuckerman's Ravine Trail in Pinkham Notch certainly didn't want to be overlooked when I was there. I loved the fallen leaves on the rocks in the foreground, and the conditions were about perfect!
    Fall Falls.jpg
  • I love this scene looking down Jackson Falls towards distant peaks and this distinctive pink-colored house. The fall foliage was just getting started on this visit, but the contrast between the colorful trees and the evergreens actually worked out well.
    The Pink House at Jackson Falls.jpg
  • A colorful maple tree hangs over the falls in Jackson, New Hampshire.
    Jackson Falls in Autumn.jpg
  • An iconic church in Sugar Hill, NH is framed by colorful leaves and branches in late afternoon light in the fall.
    Framing St. Matthew's in Fall.jpg
  • Tell me the first thing that comes to mind when you look at this.
    Autumn Rorschach.jpg
  • I’ve come to really love this spot, where some of my favorite hiking adventures, photo ops, and times just staring in wonder at the beauty of the White Mountain of New Hampshire have occurred. I’ve already shared an image of what this fog looked like over Saco Lake at ground level. For this image, I launched the drone to get above the fog, and opened up this amazing perspective of it flowing into the notch from the north. From left to right, the peaks of Mount Webster, Willard, and Willey can be seen, along with the shoulder of Mt. Field on the far right. The road in the foreground isn’t 302, but instead driveway to the Crawford Connector Trailhead, where a lot of the magic has started for me.<br />
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The early fall colors might have been the strongest this year, especially in the north. I’m grateful to have made it out and witnessed it another beautiful year in another beautiful location.
    Gateway to Adventure.jpg
  • Mist rises from Basin Brook Reservoir on a cold morning in New Hampshire.
    Misty Colors.jpg
  • After getting a tip from my friend Garrett that this could be a nice spot to make images, I visited several times while in New Hampshire and Western Maine. Darylann Leonard and I came on a spectacular morning, with tons of frost and mist on the water along with snow capping the Northern Presidential’s. As much as I loved the images of mist on the actual lake, this frame that includes a stunning reflection on the Ravine House Pool and the small community park is what stole my heart. The photo was taken on my way back to the car, and as is usually the case, I am much happier with it than what I originally had in mind that morning!
    Ravine House Pool Reflections.jpg
  • I ventured out the following morning after our workshop wrapped in New Hampshire and caught this stunning sky over the Carter Wildcat Moriah Range. These clouds formed in static waves because of orographic lift over the mountains, and I loved watching the hues change from blue to purple and pink to orange, yellow, and finally blue-grey. It was another amazing morning doing what I love.
    Fall Sunrise over the Wildcat Carter...jpg
  • The last light of day shines on the top of the Stark Union Church and a fiery maple tree standing next to it. The hillside behind the church was in dark shadow, and when I exposed for the bright church, everything around it went dark. I loved the way it worked out.
    Iconic New England.jpg
  • While this ultra wide-angle perspective doesn't convey the size and scale of the peaks in the background, it gives a great impression of the feeling of being there next to this rime-covered cairn on Mount Madison just as the sun goes behind the shoulder of Mount Adams. This enviroment is so hard to describe to those who have never been up here in winter. These peaks are truly huge and impressive. Being above treeline feels like being on another planet. Everything seems hostile to human presence, but at the same time incredibly beautiful and awe-inspiring. I'm so glad I am able to do these hikes and grateful for the friends who are able to join. This time we had Colin Zwirner and Garrett Evans. I can't wait for the next adventure, this stuff is honestly addictive.
    Mount Madison Winter Sunset.jpg
  • It was a tough 4 miles and nearly 3200 feet of climbing to get to the top of Mount Liberty, but thankfully I had some great company. Friends and fellow photographers Garrett Evans, Mark Jones, and Gary Sherman were able to join for this true adventure. It was around 5 degrees for most of the climb, and when we got to the top, the winds started picking up, ending up around 25 mph as the evening wore on. This was definitely something I wouldn't want to do alone. In addition to being safer, it's also a lot more fun when you share a great experience like this! We all wandered around the summit, taking in different compositions in this amazing environment for about an hour before heading down. We had all been inspired by Chris Whiton's beautiful captures of this peak, and Harry Lichtman's work was also a compelling example of why this would be worth the effort! 

This composition is my favorite of the many frames I took. We got very lucky with some colorful clouds lining up right behind the peak looking south. I think Mark Jones told me this was 'the spot' to stand, and I agree. This was by far the most dynamic foreground up there.
    Mount Liberty Sunset.jpg
  • Staying for the sunset, and even a little afterwards, was the right call last Sunday on Mount Pierce.
    Purple Mountains Majesty.jpg
  • This beautiful barn sits in the famous field above Lake Chocorua, with a clear view of the mountain. This scene, sans barn, was featured on the New Hampshire state quarter.
    Chocorua Barn
  • The Flume Gorge in New Hampshire was spectacular on this rainy day in October.
    Flume Gorge in Autumn
  • Colorful leaves float in the water around granite rocks below the Pemigewasset Covered Bridge near Flume Gorge in Franconia Notch, New Hampshire.
    Fallen Leaves on the Pemigewasset
  • The boathouse at Echo Lake in Franconia Notch never looked better than on this incredible day in October, when the hillside behind was absolutely exploding with color and the pond was very still, which is quite rare.
    Echo Lake Reflections
  • The boathouse at Echo Lake in Franconia Notch never looked better than on this incredible day in October, when the hillside behind was absolutely exploding with color and the pond was very still, which is quite rare.
    Echo Lake Mirror
  • I felt very lucky to witness some of the first snow of the season at Pinkham Notch. The visitor center holds happy memories for me, and I'm sure many others, as the gateway to some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the world. The clouds lifted just enough to reveal the snow in the craggy bowl of Tuckerman's Ravine, and below the signs that fall was quickly departing. I'm grateful to have been able to travel extensively this fall, although of course I wish I was in many places at once!
    Pinkham Notch First Snow
  • Driving through Franconia Notch while scouting for a workshop, I witnessed this awesome scene in front of me. Some of the few craggy peaks in New England were shrouded in fast moving fog and mist, and each second the composition changed as the dark masses of mountains disappeared and returned from behind these vapors. The past peak foliage framed the road and I knew in my heart that this image would tell an awesome story.
    Autumn in Franconia Notch
  • Stormy weather provided the perfect backdrop for the always stunning view from Artist's Bluff in Franconia Notch.
    Artist's Bluff
  • A log cabin with a fieldstone chimney nestles on a hillside surrounded by beautiful fall colors in Sugar Hill New Hampshire.
    Sugar Hill Cabin
  • I got up at 3 AM on the last day of our Vermont trip to chase the light all the way to the edge of the Whites. NOAA forecasts put the leading edge of low clouds banked up against the Presidentials, so I knew that sunrise prospects in VT would be slim that morning. I wasn't sure it was going to set up the way I wanted, but I thought I would watch the clouds from Franconia Notch all the way to Chocorua and make my decision as I went along.

The gamble appeared to be paying off as I reached the Kancamagus Highway and had my first views of morning light and clearing to the east. The clouds were low, so I knew that I would have to be right underneath the edge in order to get the dramatic light I wanted. I drove past the Swift River and Albany Covered Bridges, making note of them and planning a possible retreat if the clouds moved further west at sunrise. This scenario almost played out after I arrived at Chocorua. <br />
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This was only my second time here, so I wasn't at all familiar with the vantage point I wanted across Little Lake, having only seen the view from the bridge. I considered the view and watched what appeared to be dramatic light unfolding to the east instead of north, the direction I wanted to shoot. I hopped back in the car, drove 10 minutes up the road, and watched as the clouds re-formed and became favorable again for my original plan.<br />
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I hiked down to the lake, but the view was absolutely choked by vegetation. The sunrise was approaching rapidly, and I was desperate to make a move. I noticed the bottom of the river appeared to be nice and sandy, and cursed myself for not bringing my wading boots, which were sitting back in the car. The first pink light began appearing in the clouds, and I knew this was it. I pulled off my boots and socks, rolled up my pant legs, and waded out into the cold water with camera and tripod. This allowed me to shoot an unrestricted view across the lake with perfect reflections.
    Chocorua's Veil
  • I'm going to start by saying 'thank you' to Jeff Folger for meeting me at 7AM in the morning in Northern New Hampshire for a day of fall foliage adventures.  Jeff runs the New England Photography Guild, a collection of some of the finest landscape photographers in the area, and an early and constant source of inspiration.<br />
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This is why I wasn't up at 1AM shooting the northern lights last night.  Am I disappointed that I missed what looks like a fine display?  No.  <br />
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I started shooting this location from the road above the bridge.  There are some fine shots from this vantage point on postcards and the internet, so it seemed natural to try and capture some of that magic.  The conditions just weren't great, though. The foliage was beautiful, but still not very deep and I was hoping for more leaves on the path and maybe even a little rain or moisture to really saturate their colors and turn the road black.  I ventured to the other side of the bridge and shot a few more looking down towards the bridge.<br />
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At this time, I noticed Jeff had wandered down underneath the bridge.  I followed his lead down to the river, and started working the scene there.  I included him in some of my shots, which I'll show later.  It makes a great study of the photographer at work in an incredible location, capturing images.  I really wanted to capture the water movement, so I jumped across some very slippery rocks with all of my gear, to Jeff's amusement.<br />
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This is my favorite shot of the trip, and one I can't wait to print up and hang on my wall.  It will be the first.  I haven't seen the bridge shot from this angle on the 'net, but I'm sure it's been done before.  I played around with the colors to draw out more oranges and purples, sorry blues and greens.  I also added a lot of clarity to make the details really pop and painted over the bridge with the dodge tool to bring it forward.  The silky water is a result of an exposure time of 2.5 seconds at f/11.
    Under the Bridge
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Benjamin Williamson Photography

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