Category: Photography

I remember taking a photography workshop years ago when camera’s had film. I was told that it is not unusual to shoot a whole roll of film in order to get one good shot—quite discouraging. Today with the use of i-phones, i-pads, point-and shoot camera’s, it is the norm to take pictures on a regular basis without much effort. However, it takes patience, skill, a good eye, the right equipment, the right timing, and great passion to get the kind of photographs that Sarah Cail creates. Sarah, who resides in the New Hampshire Lakes Region in the summer and Florida in the winter, captures the best of these two worlds that she loves. Sarah believes that her ability to reside in both Florida and New Hampshire has contributed to her desire to become a nature and landscape photographer. The mountains, lakes and wildlife of New Hampshire are her subjects while she is here. Her perfect day is spent capturing the predawn skies, sunrises, and sunsets. She drives back roads in search of new vistas. Her subject matter is not just the flora, fauna, and scenery of New Hampshire and Florida, Sarah also travels extensively to photograph.

Sarah is the current guest artist from August 27th through September 10th. I chose Sarah to exhibit her work after seeing a photograph she had taken of a herd of horses. The picture captured the white horses with their rugged beauty galloping through water along the edge of the sea as they approached her at full speed in what seemed to be synchronized motion. She totally recreated the excitement of that moment. Sarah later told me that photographing those iconic white horses of Camargue, France was one of her most rewarding experiences. Sarah states, “photography is my way of sharing the beauty that is to be seen in the world in an admittedly optimistic point of view. My creative perspective is often “up close and personal,” because I love the almost intimate details that we don’t normally attend to in everyday life. My goal is to evoke an emotional response in the viewer that parallels the sense of reverence, or even humor that helped me to “see” the moment of magic that is now captured in time.”

Sarah has found inspiration in many photographers, but her mentors have most
notably been Rick Sammon, known as today’s father of photography, Jared Lloyd, whom Sarah took a workshop from on the Barrier Islands, and John Lopinot, a well-known bird photographer.

In talking with Sarah recently, she told me that along with discovering amazing images, she also has met some very special people. “These people each have a story to tell,” Sarah continues, “for example, I was photographing an old barn, and the owner was telling me how he wants to keep the barn for his family, but it has taken him 10 years just to repair the roof. The building is dilapidating faster than it can be restored.” Sarah cares about the story beyond the photograph. Her vision is more than just what she sees behind the camera. When I look at Sarah’s photography, I see a theme running throughout her work—one of passion and compassion and a love for nature, wildlife and the habitat that we all share. She has mastered techniques, but she has also met her goal of evoking an emotional response along with creating a moment of magic. Well done Sarah.

Shadows and Silhouettes Photograph by Jeb Bradley

I was asked today what the GRID means. New Hampshire is the home of 48 4,000 footers. These awe-inspiring mountains have not only have been the source for photographer Jeb Bradley’s inspiration, but have also served as a challenge for this avid hiker.

Bradley began pursuing the GRID in 2009, and finished in early 2015. The GRID involves hiking each of New Hampshire’s 4,000 footers in every month of the year. That means that Bradley hiked all of the state’s toughest mountains even in the deepest months of the winter. His camera in tow, Jeb also viewed these peaks in every season of the year. His images capture frosted snowdrifts, vivid foliage, and crisp reflections in warm summer lakes. Very view people have seen New Hampshire’s mountains the way Jeb has–he is only the 49th hiker to complete the GRID–but he chooses to share his experiences through the art of photography.

Star Lake Photograph by Jeb Bradley

While I was helping to hang Jeb’s portfolio of works for his show at The Art Place, I asked him which photographs he most wanted to highlight. Not surprisingly, he pointed out his series on Star Lake, a stunning lake at so remote and high an altitude that it is unseen by most New Hampshire natives. Bradley’s crisp images teleport viewers to this nearly magical location, one of his favorite places in the White Mountains.

Bradley’s exhibit at The Art Place continues through July 9. Don’t miss this show highlighting New Hampshire’s colorful seasons.