Blog | Steven Nagle Photography

The World Around Us - The Albany Covered Bridge (post 22)

Steven Nagle
Feb 21, 2021
2 min read

We are staying in the White Mountain of New Hampshire for this post and in distance we are around 40 miles southeast from the Mount Washington resort shown in last week’s post.

In the town of Albany, New Hampshire just off the scenic Kancamagus highway spanning the Swift river is the Albany covered bridge.

The bridge was initially built in 1857 but was destroyed in a windstorm and rebuilt in 1858. There has been renovations and maintenance done over years but some of the original (1858) structure remains intact. The bridge is 120 feet long and can handle loads up to six tons.

This bridge is closed for parts of the winter but is accessible in the spring into the fall, busy with locals and tourist (campers and leaf peepers). This location is a sure stop if you are on the Kancamagus and do not be surprised if you find yourself spending the day walking along or in the river, or just relaxing on a warm rock in the summer sun.

The two pictures shown are wide angle views, one just on the side of being wide and the over very wide(winter). Both required me to work to get in the position for the shot I wanted. For the late spring shot, I walked into the water and set my camera on a rock and used the self-timer. The winter shot was a bit more challenging; the bridge was closed for vehicles but open for foot traffic. I walked across and then into knee deep snow to the position and angle I wanted.

I hope to get back up there this year and take a few more of the bridge and other locations along the Kancamagus.

Camera Settings

5D Mark IV

Lens EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM

Focal length set at 24mm, the widest this lens would allow.

1/320 sec, f8, ISO 250

Tripod: No, placed camera on a rock and used the timer.

Camera Settings

5D Mark IV

Lens EF16-35 mm f/2.8L IS III USM

Focal length on the wide side at 16mm

1/30 sec, f/20, ISO 400

Tripod: Yes

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Take care & smile before you hear the click.

The World Around Us - The White Mountains (post 21)

Steven Nagle
Feb 14, 2021
2 min read

Winter Time in the Mountains

The White Mountains of New Hampshire are one of my favorite places to visit and have been since my early childhood. No matter the season you will never be disappointed.

In the early spring you will be in awe of the rivers full of melting snow, pushing the water down their channels, you feel the power and it is alive. Then summer comes the campgrounds are full and the wildlife is all about you, you may see Black Bears, Deer and of course those sneaky Moose.

Next comes the explosion of the Autumn colors which some say only the White Mountains of NH and Hokkaido, Japan produce such a vivid display of nature’s colors.

Finally, winter comes. The mountains and lower valleys have all been covered in white gold and the ski slopes are full. The temperatures can be a bit nippy but still, like spring, summer and fall there is a calm and at least for me, it slows things down and allows me to enjoy the world around us.

During the winter of 2018, Romi and I took our annual winter trip north to relax and on one cloudy day we took a long slow ride along rt 302. When we came to the Mount Washington Hotel (now called the Omni Mount Washington Resort) the sun poked out from the clouds, lighting the hotel, causing me to stop (I just happen to have my camera). Note: Romi said it was too cold to get out and it was nippy, like right around 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

Camera Settings

5D Mark IV

f/16, 125mm

1/100 sec

ISO 160

EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM

This second picture is a panorama (3 stitched photos) from the same location & time, just to the right of the hotel.

Camera Settings

5D Mark IV

f/16, 200mm

1/200 sec

ISO 320

EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM

Tripod: No, but should have

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Take care & smile before you hear the click.

The World Around Us… (post 20)

Steven Nagle
Feb 7, 2021
2 min read

Contrast – Seasonal

Contrast takes on many different meanings when it comes to photography, there are the two main one’s people often talk about with those being tonal and color. Tonal being the difference between the lightest and darkest tones and color being the way colors interact with each other. Let me stop here and add that I am by no means an expert on this subject and only giving a very high-level explanation.

A good example of tonal would be looking at a black and white photograph that has distinct blacks, grays, and then whites and light tones. On the color side you have contrasting colors, Yellow and Blue or Green and Red etc. You can then add to the mix by adding High and Low and High key and Low key and so on, anyone fall asleep yet?

Now we head out into the field or your studio and you start to think about contrast and what you want to convey in your picture. How the whites, black, shadows and colors are going to add or subtract. Sure, you can do a lot in post but having a head start in camera is always nice.

Now the other day I was out at one of my local haunts (Hawk Valley Farm) and of course contrast pops up as there is a fresh 2 feet of perfectly white snow and then I said (to myself) wait, what about “seasonal contrast” because right in front of me are two chairs and benches that I took a picture of in the spring of last year that are now covered in snow, so now we have contrast in seasons, do you agree?