Color Images

Nubble Nights

The Milky Way rises on a frigid night over Nubble Lighthouse . Windblown snow remains the day after "Superstorm Nemo" battered the coast and left behind 3 feet of snow as a friendly reminder of the power of Mother Nature.

Starburst

Well technically a sunburst. But the sun is a star and a sunburst isn't a tasty candy so "Starburst" it is. Taken along the Marginal Way in Ogunquit, Maine. One of my favorite stretches of coast anywhere, the Marginal Way runs from Perkinc Cove to Ogunquit Beach providing easy access to dramatic rocky coastline and sandy beaches alike.

The Way

Biddeford Pool, Maine. My 11 year old son had RSVP to go shooting with me this morning and after a surprisingly easy 2am wakeup call from his top bunk we made the trek down to Biddeford Pool. I had a few shots in mind but light pollution from nearby buildings (to the owner of the house on Fortune's Rock, let it be noted that 8 floodlights lighting up your yard, the beach, the driveway and your house are not strictly speaking necessary) rendered them all unusable. I had shot this location before but the boardwalk to the beach was a new feature. There's nothing more relaxing than firing off milky way shots while talking life with your son as shooting stars fire overhead. Always a pretty enjoyable experience. 5 shot focus stack here for the pathway.

Solitude

All along the coast of Maine you will find a host of different canoes, skiffs, rowboats and all different manner of small boats like this one tied up waiting to take working fishermen and lobstermen to their work boats. This weathered and worn canoe rests along the beach in at Pine Point in Scarborough, Maine.

Beaming

Upper Antelope Canyon, Page, Arizona. The shooting experience in the slot canyons of Page were nothing like what I expected. I wrote a blog post on it a few years back but the short story is that the canyons are filled to the brim with tourists on a daily basis. A good photo guide is essential as they know the schedule when the light beams fire into the canyon and will hold the hordes back while you take your shots. Regardless, the canyons are spellbinding and the colors, textures and layers that greet you around every corner are awe inspiring.

Eagle Lake

Milky Way rises over Eagle Lake in Acadia National Park.

I Heart Maine

Pine Point Beach, Scarborough, Maine. Pine Point is about a 10 minute drive from my house and the default beach for family afternoons on a sunny summer day. When the tide goes out little pools and ripples are left behind in the sand providing some great foreground interest. On this day my most loyal 11 year old assistant was along for the late night ride and we enjoyed listening to the fish jump in the cove, stomping in the sand to make the phosphorescence light up and watching the big crabs raid the little hermit crab colonies along the waterfront. Maine can be a pretty cool place. The lights on the horizon are from the nearby towns of Old Orchard Beach and Cape Ellis.

Little Red Boat

People like boats. I like boats, you like boats, we all like boats. Here's a picture of a red one. If you ever find yourself in need of a spot to shoot a sunset over the ocean in Southern Maine you are limited in options. The working docks here at Pine Point in Scarborough are the closest location to me and when I peek out my window around sunset and see the clouds gathering for a possible brilliant sunset I will often hop in the car and make a mad dash down to the waterfront. If the tides are right you can catch a whole beach full of these waiting to take the guys who work on the water out to their boats.

Sand Beach Nights

The Milky Way rises over Sand Beach in Acadia National Park, Maine. Local ordinances in Bar Harbor and other area towns are aimed at curbing light pollution keeping the skies around Acadia some of the darkest in the Northeast allowing for star shows that few on the eastern coast ever get to see. This image was awarded Best in Show at the 2013 Maine Photography Show

Sublime

Badwater Basin, Death Valley, California Sublime isn't a description of an image, it's a description of the feeling I had as I was making these images. Coming at the tail end of a day where I had spent the morning several hours away shooting the slot canyons in Page, AZ, the experience here at Badwater was one of those moments in life that you remember forever. As I stood for the first time on the salt flats, the temperature still well over 110 degrees and the hot breeze sucking the moisture from my skin, completely alone on the playa, the sun set, the colors came out and a wash of pure awesomeness rushed over me. Sometimes it's pretty cool to be alive. Mother nature kicks ass.

Made from 17 light frames by Starry Landscape Stacker 1.8.0. Algorithm: Min Value

First Light

The sun rises over Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park, Maine. During the fall and winter months, those who brave the howling winds and frigid temps at Cadillacs' peak are rewarded with the first touch of the suns light in America. If you decide to see it for yourself, come prepared. Dress warm and expect crowds bigger than you would reasonable expect for an experience that requires a pre dawn wake-up call and a winding drive around the mountain.

Made from 12 light frames by Starry Landscape Stacker 1.8.0. Algorithm: Min Value

Illuminated

Portland Head Lighthouse, Fort Williams, Cape Elizabeth, Maine. How do you get a unique image of an icon? Make your images when nobody is watching. It will take some special maneuvering to make your way into the PHL at night but in this event I was rewarded with a spectacular view of the Milky Way rising over one of America's most historic lighthouses.