Author: johntodaro

Hatchery Sun

Burlington CT

The last image from the Burlington state hatchery returns to one of the trout pools bathed in sunlight. The cooler-toned palettes from the previous two images were photographed in shade. There’s a lot of fish in these pictures, so the images can be clicked for a full sized file. Hope you enjoyed the swim ☺️

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The School

This image of trout is from a visit earlier this week to the state fish hatchery in Burlington CT. The hatchery has been in operation for 101 years, relying on artesian wells and springs for water. The fish are released into rivers in the western half of the state with the Farmington being the principle recipient. Fishing is mostly catch-and-release.

Photographing schools of young fish in their pools was thrilling; their collective movements and the subtle changes in light providing a steady stream of ideas.

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Roraback’s Windmill

The gradient of sky; the distinctive rural structure on a summer roadside. The black and white pictures from these moments form a brotherhood of sorts; found on the hard drive and in the boxes of negatives, slides and prints.

This picture was from a recent bike ride (with camera) in Harwinton CT. The windmill was built 90 years ago and sits next to the former home of its namesake.

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River North From Riverton

Pausing on the bridge in Riverton CT, the Farmington River is seen curving into the woods to the north. These buildings are evidence of a long history of mills, beginning with Hitchcock chairs and a fabric printing operation in the 19th century. A short walk north along the river leads to an interpretive trail and abandoned cellars and mill walls dating to the 1840’s. Before the arrival of Europeans in the 1700’s, the river was a trade route and fishing area for Native Americans.

What interests me with the photograph is how rivers can convey a sense of place and adventure much like roads. But their stories are richer; and they span millenia, not just a few decades.

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Matthies Grove

This was taken in a grove of a well-loved white pines in the picnic area of People’s State Forest in Barkhamsted CT. The West Branch of the Farmington River divides this section of woods from American Legion State Forest on the other side. The woods are home to bears and bobcats and moose are occasionally spotted as well. This stretch of river is wild and scenic; a destination for catch-and-release fly fishing. On my bike ride around both sides of the river a few days ago, I spotted many waist-deep fishermen quietly casting into the flow.

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Lead Mine Brook

This is the first of a group of pictures from this morning: a lifting late-spring fog in an area of wetlands in Harwinton CT. All around this spot were the songs of Blue-winged Warblers. This creek is the East Branch of Lead Mine Brook.

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Vernal Surface

This photograph was taken taken two weeks ago in a secluded swampy area in Great Mountain Forest, Norfolk CT. The preserve is one of the few places in the state where there are breeding pairs of moose. Those shades of blue found in this image are favorites of mine.

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Desert Grassland

This is a recent scan of a 35mm transparency taken about twenty years ago. I was using a Contax G2 and Fuji Provia F. We’re looking at central Utah here, just northeast of Hanksville. That camera was a rangefinder; no mirrors involved. And it does appear it found a range in this instance.