Jim Salge Photography Blog

Images of New England captured in dramatic light and atmosphere

Top 11 Photos of 2011…Part 2

The last post was getting a bit long, so we’ll pick up the yearly reflection after summer. I still have a really hard time getting significant shots in the summer. As a teacher, I have all the time in the world to do so, but in the endless green and blue, the hazy air and the drying streams, I never seem to catch the moment where inspiration meets light. It will end up on the goal sheet again this year for sure.

I do love autumn though, and this year I had the opportunity to share my love of that season with a much wider audience, as I wrote a weekly foliage blog for Yankee Magazine. Writing a blog for all of New England challenged me to get out of areas I typically shoot in fall, and see some of the other iconic landscapes in the region. And despite the fact that the foliage itself put on the worst show in a decade, I came away with some of my favorite shots in years! 

#7 – Sunrise From Clay
This is a shot that I’ve envisioned for some time. The Great Gulf is one of the largest glacial cirques in New England, and the the valley is ringed by tall, iconic peaks that catch the morning light in a most exquisite way. My friend and I scouted the area the night before, looking for the best vantage, and were up setting up well before first light. The display didn’t last long before the clouds choked it out, but I was glad they were there to provide balance and drama in the scene! Next goal for this view…a winter sunrise!

Sunrise From Mount Clay

Sunrise From Mount Clay

#8 – Morning Stretch
A lot of people in my circle call this my ‘lucky shot’. And to be fair, there was a great bit of luck to it. I arrived at long pond before dawn anticipating a sunrise shot as the light hit the peaks that surround the pond. At the car, I debated bringing my long lens with me, and almost didn’t. The loons on the pond cemented my decision to carry it with their predawn haunting calls. As I hiked around to a spot with a view of the islands, the loons began to move across my field of view, and I had the forethought to switch lenses. And adjust every one of my settings from landscape thinking. Higher ISO, larger aperture, lower the exposure compensation, filters off…anything to get the shutter speed high enough to stop their motion, in case something like this happened. I was ecstatic when it did…

Morning Stretch - Long Pond, Benton, NH

Morning Stretch - Long Pond, Benton, NH

#9 – Stream’s Golden Glow
I’ve learned to trust my intuition as a photographer a lot more this year. There are always a thousand reasons not to stop and take a picture, but if something catches my eye, I usually find it’s worth stopping and checking it out. I had driven by this small unnamed stream twice the day prior, a stream I’d driven by hundreds of times, and it never struck me. This day was different. I was on my way to a hike, debated for a mile after driving past as to whether I should go back. When I did, I found the sun back lighting a zigzagging cascade, set in a golden forest. A low angle on the stream allowed for the water to take on the colors of the surroundings. Classic Autumn…

Stream's Golden Glow

Stream's Golden Glow

#10 – Dramatic Sky From Mount Morgan
The hike up was miserable. Hail, thunder and lightning, wind alternated with sunshine, so frequent stops to adjust gear for the conditions were necessary, but I was in no rush, as I was hopeful for some late light hitting the clouds. That never happened, but the dramatic sky that I witnessed when I first came onto the lookout ledge more than made up for it. This is a classic scene in New Hampshire, and I’m thrilled to have captured such a strong image from an iconic outcropping.

Dramatic Sky From Mount Morgan

Dramatic Sky From Mount Morgan

#11 – Snowy Owl Sunrise
After Autumn, I spent some time nursing a nagging injury, and didn’t get out much with the camera. There was little reason to anyway fortunately, with a warm and snowless December. I finally got out again right after my holiday travels, and was fortunate to find out about a snowy owl that had taken up residence along the New Hampshire Seacoast. I spent a morning with the bird, all to myself, in great light. Just one of those moments I was happy to be out among nature, and am even more thrilled to have the ability and platform to share my experiences.

Snowy Owl in New Hampshire

Snowy Owl in New Hampshire

It’s fun to look back at a successful year, but it’s even better to look ahead. I’ll be writing about my goals for the year in my next blog, and hopefully the weather patterns will change soon, giving me the opportunity to get some of the classic winter shots I have in my head.

Thanks for following along this year…can’t wait to see what 2012 brings!

One Response to “Top 11 Photos of 2011…Part 2”

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