Scenes of September, New Hampshire – As I look back at the month of September, I have realized that it has been a very busy month. And as usual, there is never enough time in the day to get everything done that needs to be done. At any rate. September is one of my favorite months of the year here in the White Mountains because it is the start of autumn foliage season. I also love the cool nights that come with this month. 

My shooting schedule this month had me shooting many different subjects. I spent time shooting historic stone structures, landscapes, conservation issues, and a few forgotten waterfalls. I also did some scouting in northern New Hampshire in preparation for the autumn foliage season. And I spent some time exploring the backroads of the White Mountains.

Here in the White Mountains, the water levels are low and the waterfalls that I did photograph this month were only trickles. We could use a few days, or even a week, of steady rain. Above is Fleming Flume along Elephant Head Brook in Carroll. Elephant Head Brook runs through this interesting gorge. It doesn’t look like much during the dry months, but I think it will be impressive during the spring snowmelt.

For the last five years, I have been documenting issues on New Hampshire's Mt Tecumseh. And I am now making the images viewable to the public. In my opinion, it is the ugliest display of trail stewardship I have ever seen from Forest Service. And it should have never happened. You can read more about this issue here.

I spent two days this month shooting in Warren. Above is the site of Merrill’s Mountain House in the area of Warren known as Breezy Point. In 1834 Nathaniel Merrill built a farmhouse at this site, and in 1860 the Merrill family converted the farmhouse to an inn known as Merrill’s Mountain House. The inn burned down in 1915. Today, this abandoned cellar hole helps tell the story of Merrill’s Mountain House and Breezy Point.

I know many are interested in the in how the foliage is progressing this year. Based on what I have seen in the last week it looks like the northern and White Mountains regions of New Hampshire are progressing at almost the same rate. The norm is for the foliage to start in northern New Hampshire and then make its way south, but I am not sure this is happening this year.

So far the best foliage I have seen in my travels was at the junction of Route 3 and 302 (above) in Twin Mountain. I think the window to photograph peak foliage this year in the White Mountains could be short, so be ready photographers.

All of the above images can be licensed for publications by clicking on the image you are interested in, and you can view more new images from the month of September here. And because it is calendar season, I want to remind you that my 2017 White Mountains New Hampshire calendar is available.

Happy image making..

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Erin Paul Donovan

Owner of ScenicNH Photography LLC

Erin Paul is a professional photographer, writer, and author who specializes in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the New Hampshire White Mountains. His work is published worldwide, and publication credits include: Appalachian Mountain Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Backpacker Magazine, and The Wilderness Society.