Virginia

Beaver Brook Falls, New Hampshire by Todd Henson

Beaver Brook Falls, New Hampshire

My father and I were fortunate to visit Beaver Brook Falls State Wayside in Colebrook, New Hampshire, on a somewhat overcast and rainy day. All the recent rain resulted in a lot of water going over the approximately 80-foot Beaver Brook Falls. Granted, it also meant the water was perhaps a bit more brown than it usually would be because of the strong runoff. But it also resulted in more saturated greens from the wet leaves. It was a bit breezy so there was some movement of the leaves and flowers.

Beaver Brook Falls merging into North Fork Beaver Brook

The falls are on Beaver Brook and just below the falls the brook merges with North Fork Beaver Brook seen at the bottom of the photos flowing left to right. The water eventually flows into the Connecticut River in the town of Colebrook. The Connecticut River defines much of the border between New Hampshire and Vermont.

Floral accents at Beaver Brook Falls

One of the best things about this location is its accessibility. It’s located along Route 145 north of Colebrook with the parking area right along the road and the falls easily visible from the road. There is a small area of mowed grass with some picnic tables and wooden fencing between this area and the water. There are trails on both sides that lead over wooden walking bridges and take you to the falls.

Beaver Brook Falls State Wayside, New Hampshire

Signage at Beaver Brook Falls State Wayside, New Hampshire

I’ve only been to this location once so I don’t have a feel for how crowded it can get, but given how beautiful it is, how easily accessible, and how many folks travel to this area for vacationing and outdoor adventure, I’d guess it can get crowded. The parking area is very small so it can only accommodate so many people. We saw several cars of people arrive and leave while we were there but for some periods of time had the area to ourselves. The rainy day likely helped with this. This is certainly a location I’d visit again if ever back in the area. And I can only imagine how beautiful (and busy) it might be during autumn with all the colorful foliage New Hampshire is known for. 

Photographic Lessons Learned

As is often the case when reviewing my photographs I find things I would have done differently if I had the gift of hindsight in advance. And I find items I’m glad I thought to do. Here is a short list of lessons learned (or re-learned in most cases), as well as general comments based on my experience:

  • On rainy days, and when approaching strong waterfalls, don’t forget to check the front element of your lens or filter for water droplets, and carefully wipe them off when you find them. Do this OFTEN. It’s so easy to overlook these while looking at a small image on a viewfinder or LCD panel, but they become far more obvious when viewed on a larger screen or on paper, especially if you are using smaller apertures (larger f-stop numbers).

  • Even if you’re able to get slower shutter speeds just by adjusting your aperture (because it’s a darker day) it’s still worth the effort of trying a polarizing filter because it can reduce glare and reflections on both the water surface and that of the green leaves.

  • When it’s windy try to keep track of when the breeze is blowing and when there are short gaps with less wind. This can help you create images with less movement of leaves, flowers, etc.

  • I don’t recall which photographer I learned this lesson from but it’s a gem. When is the best time to make a vertical image? Immediately after making a horizontal one. That way you have both a vertical and horizontal view of that scene and can choose which you prefer for which usage.

  • If possible it can be worth it to create some images that include slightly more of the scene so you don’t crowd in too much around the edges. Granted, this isn’t always possible. There are images here where I’d have liked to include a little more of the trees above the falls, though without including the washed out white sky. But even at the widest focal length my lens was capable of, 16 mm, I was constrained by what I included at top and/or bottom. I’d have loved to have owned a wider angle lens for this scene. I sort of wish I’d thought to try my fisheye, see how that worked. Granted, it would have been more difficult to shield it from any rain because of the extreme curvature of the outer glass.

  • Don’t forget when using a tripod with a locked down head you should almost always assure you’ve turned off any vibration reduction or image stabilization feature in your lens. There may be cases with newer cameras/lenses where this isn’t necessary, but it often is as the VR/IS features can sometimes actually introduce vibration when on a locked down camera. Read your camera/lens manuals to better understand the capabilities and limitations of your own gear.

  • Don’t forget to create images of the wider scene to show more context of the location.

  • Don’t forget to zoom in and create some detail images to show the depth and variety of the location.

Can you think of any other lessons worth learning from this sort of experience? Have you ever visited Beaver Brook Falls in New Hampshire? Do you have any similar falls in your area? Leave a comment below and let me know.


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A Virginia Road Trip in Late May (2025) by Todd Henson

Today I don’t have any standout artistic photographs to share, but instead wanted to take you along for a Virginia road trip my father and I made in late May of 2025. I tried to capture moments on the road that appealed to me, perhaps because of a curve in the road, hills or mountains in the background, or just about anything else of interest. The photos begin on Sperryville Pike (522) after leaving Culpepper heading west and end on John Marshall Highway (55) east on the way towards Haymarket. I hope you enjoy this little excursion

Click on any of the photos for a larger view.

West Towards the Blue Ridge Mountains

We began the day by taking a left at an intersection where we’d only ever taken a right, with no idea what to expect. After passing through some rolling hills with plenty of farm land and taking a few more turns we found ourselves in Culpepper. Instead of hanging out in town we ended up on Sperryville Pike heading west towards Sperryville, and from there heading west on Lee Highway (211) over the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Heading west on Sperryville Pike after leaving Culpepper

The closer we got to Sperryville the more hilly it became

Between Blue Ridge and Massanutten Mountains

After we passed over the Blue Ridge Mountains and through part of Shenandoah National Park we continued west on 211 through Luray (known for their caverns), past Cooter’s Place (for any Dukes of Hazzard fans out there), and then over Massanutten Mountain which bisects part of Shenandoah Valley.

Driving 211 west past Luray and towards the mountains

Continuing west on 211

West on 211 approaching the mountains

Taking 211 over Massanutten Mountain

North Through Shenandoah Valley

Once we hit New Market we headed north on Route 11, taking a brief detour onto Caverns Road to stop by the Route 11 Potato Chip factory. From there we returned to Route 11 by way of Wissler Road which took us through the historic Meem’s Bottom Covered Bridge. Once back on Route 11 we headed north through Mount Jackson and eventually got on 55 heading east through Front Royal.

Passing the 54th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment Monument on Route 11 north

Driving on Cavern Road over 81 and looking south

Approaching Meem's Bottom Covered Bridge from the west

Main Street (Route 11) heading into Mount Jackson from the south

We saw this old Texaco pump in Mount Jackson

East on John Marshall Highway

After leaving Front Royal, instead of taking 66 back east, which would have been faster, we opted for the smaller John Marshall Highway, 55. There’s generally a lot less traffic and just as much if not more scenery. It also passes through several towns, such as Marshall (originally Salem) and The Plains, though I didn’t capture any decent photos of these towns on this trip. But I did slow down the shutter speed for a little fun with the final photo.

Heading east out of Front Royal on Route 55

The Barn off Grove Lane (55), approaching Marshall

Driving on 55 somewhere between The Plains and Haymarket, with a slower shutter speed to show some motion


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Views of the Abandoned Fairview Church of God in Woodstock, Virginia by Todd Henson

In mid-March my father and I found ourselves taking a back road conveniently enough named Back Road. I saw a church highlighted by the sun atop a rolling hill and took a left onto Fairview Road to get a better view. I hadn’t expected to find a second church just beyond the one we’d seen, and was quickly drawn to it as it was an older abandoned building. The second church is named Fairview Church of God, matching the name of the road, and it’s a wooden church with the white paint peeling off and the mostly green metal roof, matching the green shutters, showing many areas of rust.

I wasn’t able to find much information about the church, but it appears it may have been built around 1940. I don’t know when or why it was abandoned. As mentioned, there’s a second church very near by, Mt. Zion Lutheran Church, that’s in very good repair and obviously still in use.


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