For 10 seasons, I’ve helped make Weekends With Yankee, an award-winning national PBS series about the people and places of New England. My role has grown from cinematographer to director of photography, producer, and offline editor.

A production day moves quickly. I direct hosts and guests, listen for the story taking shape in their conversations, and anticipate the footage we’ll need to tell it. I often operate a camera while coordinating other cinematographers and sound recordists. The work calls for practical decisions in the moment, with the edit always in mind.

The show has also given me an education in New England. I’ve spent time with craftspeople, farmers, cooks, and people caring for the region’s landscapes. Many of those places have stayed with me long after filming. I’ve returned to some with my family, eager to share what I learned there.

Seven golden retriever puppies sitting in the back of a white Jeep.
Richard Wiese surrounded by several golden retriever puppies, smiling joyfully as they climb on him at Golden Dog Farm in Jeffersonville, Vermont.
Richard Wiese kneeling beside a golden retriever puppy with a blue blanket draped over it, in front of a barn decorated with lights and a sign that says 'FUN' at Golden Dog Farm in Jeffersonville, Vermont.
Amy Traverson smiling and wearing a red and white checkered shirt, standing outdoors with a blurred background of fall-colored trees in New Hampshire.
Richard Wiese riding a white horse on a dirt rodeo arena, with a person wearing a cowboy hat and a red plaid shirt, surrounded by red and white fencing, with hills and trees in the background and a partly cloudy sky at the Pond Hill Ranch in Vermont.
Richard Wiese smiling outdoors in a field with colorful wildflowers and green foliage in the background in New Hampshire.
Amy Traverso smiling and talking at a dinner table with a guest, with a view of water and trees in the background. The table has a vase with pink and yellow flowers, wine glasses, and plates of food in Maine.
A vintage green Toyota SUV driving on a sandy beach with a clear blue sky and ocean in the background, two passengers visible inside.
Richard Wiese holding a camera is wakeboarding on a lake during daytime in New Hampshire.
A man in a blue jacket standing on the deck of a sailing ship with a foggy background. A large wooden sailing ship with reddish sails is in the distance.
Two people smiling on a boat, with nautical instruments and a lighthouse in the background.
A person in a small wooden boat approaching a large sailing ship on calm, foggy water.
Richard Wiese gets help in a fish processing facility handling a large fish on a stainless steel table, with one preparing the fish and the other holding a syringe, both wearing gloves and aprons in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
Two men are looking at open books and magazines on a wooden table in a well-lit, modern living room with decorative objects on white shelves.
Richard Wiese riding bicycles on a gravel path in a rural area during fall, both wearing helmets and casual outdoor clothing in New Hampshire.
Amy Traverso and a man on a boat, with the woman wearing a yellow raincoat and the man, a striped shirt, holding a lobster cage, engaged in a conversation on a foggy day near Camden, Maine.
A bowl of seafood including scallops, clams, and grilled bread on a metal countertop.
Three women smiling and talking in a kitchen, one woman is wearing a red and white checkered shirt, another is wearing a floral blouse, and the third is wearing a colorful sweater; kitchen counter with dishes and a large gray cooking pot in the foreg
Reenactment of a historical battle with soldiers dressed in 18th-century military uniforms firing muskets, with smoke and fire effects, on a grassy field during dusk.
Amy Traverso dressed in a navy blazer and red and white top, standing on a bustling street during a parade or festival with people and decorations in the background in Concord, Massachusetts.
Historical reenactors dressed as soldiers from the 18th century marching in formation during a reenactment event at sunset.
A man in a black t-shirt, khaki boots, and a green baseball cap stands on a deck near a large outdoor softbox lighting setup. The deck overlooks a body of water with small islands and a shoreline in the distance. There is a wooden table with flowers,
People filming on a boat, with one person in yellow waterproof clothing leaning over the side, near crab traps, on a body of water with rocky shoreline in the background.
A film crew working outdoors in a garden with a white house in the background, several people operating equipment, and rows of young plants in the foreground.
Amy Traverso wearing a red and white checkered shirt and a helmet riding a bicycle outdoors with greenery and houses in the background in Massachusetts for the PBS show Weekends With Yankee.
Amy Traverso riding bicycles in front of a gray building with a sign that says 'Clam Box' and an American flag, while others wait outside in Massachusetts for the PBS show Weekends With Yankee.
A man with glasses and short hair sitting at a restaurant table, smiling and looking at someone off-camera. The table has several empty wine glasses and a menu.
Amy Traverso and a man riding bicycles on a coastal road with parked cars and houses in the background, under a cloudy sky in Massachusetts for the PBS show Weekends With Yankee.
Fried oysters with dipping sauces on a blue tray at a fast-food restaurant.
A woman in a red and white checkered shirt is sitting at a picnic table outdoors, smiling with her hands clasped, while a man in a gray shirt and glasses places a plate of food on the table under a large dark umbrella. There is a body of water and gr
Richard Wiese and a guide wearing helmets and harnesses in a forest, smiling and preparing for zip lining or outdoor adventure activity in New Hampshire for the PBS show Weekends With Yankee.
A person riding a zip line through a dense forest with trees in various shades of green, pink, and red.
Richard Wiese zip lining through a forest with green trees, smiling and holding onto the zip line handle in New Hampshire for the PBS show Weekends With Yankee.