NEWSLETTER
APRIL
2025

Pictures sent in for NECCC Color competition

Pictures sent in for PSA Black and White competition

What a difference a week makes by Jack Kearney

Two weeks ago, after our Tuesday camera club meet up at JP Giffords, Lazlo took me to a place I’ve been yearning to visit since the drought last Fall. Lazlo had mentioned it to me a while back. Since it’s just a stone’s throw away from my new house in West Cornwall, I was thrilled to explore the waterfall in the Trinity Forest Preserve. This land is one of the 17 preserves managed by the Cornwall Conservation Trust, which now holds over 800 acres of forever-wild land. The way Cornwallians, if that’s what we’re called, protect and preserve our town’s land makes me incredibly proud to call it my new home. Trinity is a stunning forest that runs along the Housatonic River, teeming with life. The Preserve and the wetlands serve as a wildlife corridor and habitat for bobcats, skunks, turkeys, weasels, and trout.
On the day we visited, the weather conditions, which are usually challenging due to the dense tree litter, boulder fields, and steep ravines, were especially hazardous due to the sheets of ice that covered the path and the area of the falls. To be honest, I was surprised Lazlo was willing to accompany me. Upon arriving at the stream, we were captivated by the beautiful ice formations that had formed over sections of the rocky stream. I decided to start by capturing some more intimate shots of these ice formations as I took in my surroundings.

Then, we ventured a bit further to get a better view of the waterfall. While we were able to catch a glimpse of it, the perspective from the side of the stream we were on wasn’t ideal. Without risking serious injury by walking onto an icy boulder that hung 15 feet over the pool below, there wasn’t a clear shot. Lazlo had to leave to return to packing, leaving me to immerse myself in the beauty and solitude of the place. However, before leaving, Lazlo reminded me that a picture wasn’t worth the risk of serious injury. I knew I needed to get the other side of the stream for the shot I desired, but there was about two feet of water in the crossing area, and a layer of melting ice and boulders blocked my path. Lazlo’s words echoed in my mind. I strapped on my crampons and ventured upstream, determined to find a way to the falls. Soon, I discovered a path of stones close enough together to cross. With my crampons securely gripping the ice atop each rock, I safely made it across without getting wet. As I descended the other side to the falls, my suspicions were confirmed. The shot I had been hoping for stood before me.

I scrambled down some boulders to the edge of the pool beneath the falls. The falls appeared breathtaking, mostly frozen, yet with just enough flowing water to bring the scene to life. As I framed my shot, I focused on the foreground. While the pool was mostly frozen, an ice shelf opened up just below the falls, creating an intriguing shape in the flowing water.

I set up my tripod and added an 8-stop ND filter to my lens to slow down my shutter speed to 1 second. At 15mm, I was able to capture the entire scene while emphasizing the foreground by getting low to the ice. Needless to say, I left feeling accomplished and content. Not because I had taken an amazing image, but because I had persevered through the challenging conditions safely and achieved my goal. I also felt a sense of joy knowing that such beauty was just a short walk from my house, and I had discovered so much potential for future compositions.
Fast forward a week, to the just after another camera club meeting. I stopped by my house to check in with a contractor replacing some doors and decided to make another trip to Trinity. Since my previous visit, it had rained for two days and temperatures had risen to the mid-50s. I was curious to see how the conditions had changed.
This time, I not only carried my crampons in my backpack but also wore my wellies, just in case I had the chance to get into the water. To my surprise, in just a week, almost all the ice had melted away, and the stream had received a significant amount of water from the rain.

As I crossed the stream and made my way down to the falls, I was able to get into the water and explore new compositions. Conditions, though ideal for a leisurely walk, weren’t what I sought when photographing waterfalls in the forest. It was a bluebird day, and the sun was directly behind the falls, casting deep shadows and harsh light reflecting off the water. Despite these challenges, I seized the opportunity to experiment with compositions and was pleased with the final result.

This time, I also used a circular polarizing filter to reduce glare from the water and slick rocks. While the CPL didn’t eliminated everything, it made managing highlights much easier. Another issue was the sun, which created flares as it hit the top of my lens. I personally prefer not to use lens hoods because they take up too much space in my already overpacked camera bag. To eliminate the flares, I carefully positioned my hand just out of frame above my lens, resulting in a clean image.

In my mind, this was another successful mission in exploring the area for future visits. But what truly amazed me was the dramatic transformation nature had undergone over the course of seven days. Spring had arrived, and I couldn’t imagine photography and enjoying nature without the changes of the season. Each season offers unique opportunities and challenges, allowing us to revisit the same place and experience it as if for the first time.

Pictures from India by John Allen

At the Old Farm by Lazlo Gyorsok

I spent a few hours exploring an abandoned farm, where time and nature had reclaimed rusting machinery, crumbling barns, and forgotten relics of the past. Weathered tractors, vintage cars overtaken by weeds, and scattered remnants of farm life told silent stories of years gone by. It was a photographer’s dream—rich textures, deep shadows, and the haunting beauty of decay at every turn.

Our new exhibit at the Salisbury library By Pamela Peeters

When driving to the Salisbury library en route to the opening of the Housatonic Camera Club’s current exhibit on March 14, I noticed Spring was in the air.
I haven’t exactly been a frequent flyer to the gorgeous “boutique like” library, but that will most certainly change as once I entered our temporary exhibit space, I could notice that the design team had done an amazing job arranging all the images with the most dedicated care.
The theme was “community” and the members of the club seemed to have put in that extra effort in sharing some of their most cherished community moments.
The guests gathered around a nice buffet that featured sparkling apple cider, which was an absolute delight to discover, alongside some nice cheeses and pastries.
Everybody was in a happy mood and we were also able to welcome some new members as well.
Here are some pictures I was able to capture so that the club members who could not attend the opening can enjoy the scenery and let’s hope some sales will be taking place as well!
Some guests seemed to already express interest and enjoyed receiving a personal explanation of what certain art pieces represented for them.
Here is to Spring and to our community, may it be a great month for you all!