Lakes Region resident and journalist Ray Carbone to release photographic book

He's spent the last 15 years living in and covering the Lakes Region, and along the way veteran journalist and Belmont resident Ray Carbone feels he has come to know why people are drawn to area, both as visitors and residents. He's getting ready to release a publication soon that will illustrate the iconic charms of the region through the lenses of some of the area's best photographers.

The book, titled "The Lakes Region of New Hampshire: Four Seasons, Countless Memories," will be released either in the fall of this year or the spring of next. It will be available in either soft or hard-cover, and will be found in the area's bookstores, gift stores and some general stores.

Those who can't wait to buy it off the shelf can pre-order the book through the website carboneproductions.com. Early buyers will also receive a $10 discount. Regular pricing will be $29.95 for the softcover, or $49.95 for the limited-production, signed hardcover.

The project dates back to 2003, when Carbone had ended a nine-and-a-half year stint with The Citizen newspaper. (For the past three years and counting, Carbone has been a staff writer for The Daily Sun.) He had planned to use his connections and insights to start a lifestyle magazine for the region, but was having difficulty finding advertisers to sign up for the first edition. He was at the Innisfree book store in Meredith, discussing the dilemma with an employee there, when the woman suggested that he instead put together a book of photography for the region, something that is constantly requested by customers but something that is currently lacking on the shelves of the store.

"Well, gee," Carbone said he was thinking, "I met all these very talented photographers... I could pull this together."

After a few phone calls, Carbone had several of the state's best photographers on board. The book will feature images from John Gill, who was twice named New Hampshire's Photographer of the Year; Daryl Carlson, chief photographer for The Citizen of Laconia newspaper, aerial photographer Bill Hemmel, as well as many other photographers of various backgrounds, from architectural to weddings.

The end result is a 100-page book with at least one photograph on each page, with some pages containing several images. Carbone said the book will be at home on area coffee tables. The book is divided into five sections: the four seasons plus Bike Week.

Carbone's overall goal in the book was "to capture what people enjoy about the area." In his view, the Lakes Region combines the best of the Seacoast area with some of the same elements that make the White Mountains so valued. The Lakes Region offers serenity, natural beauty and water in its many forms. It also offers culture and character in its small towns.

Those who open the book will find images of the region's icons and landmarks, such as Rattlesnake Island, the American Indian statue in Meredith, the Tilt'n Diner, the Weirs Beach sign, and Wolfeboro Harbor. Those photos will be supplemented by the best general images from the region's best photographers. "It's been a lot of fun to work on," said Carbone. His goal was to give the readers the images they'd expect, plus many they'll be surprised by.

It might be a photographic book, but it's not exclusively photos. There will be a few written pieces, such as an historical account of ice harvesting on Squam Lake, and a piece of short fiction. There will also be a "Best of the Lakes Region" section, which will list the best place to get macaroni and cheese, the best hamburger, the best par 3 golf course, and the best movie shot in New Hampshire since "On Golden Pond."

"I wanted a book that reflects the positive things about this area. I think the book does that," Carbone said. "I think a lot of people don't realize how special this place is."