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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.

The Bubbles

Just off the path leading to the Jordan Pond house in Acadia National Park you will find this scene of the iconic Bubbles. Twin mountain peaks rising behind the pristine waters of Jordan Pond (source of drinking water for local towns) provide a great backdrop for a great family hike around the pond. Sample the popovers at the Jordan Pond House. A treat that immediately brings me back to my childhood.

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.

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.

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.

The Pier

Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Home to nightclubs, bars, mini golf and a waterfront amusement park. Old Orchard is pure beach kitsch . On a coast dotted with stately, reserved, upscale towns, OOB is a blast of touristy bedlam that makes it stand out from the crowd. Some people love it, some people hate it. I think it has it's place and you can't argue that the miles of beach that stretch north into Scarborough and south of the iconic pier into Cape Ellis will appeal to almost any visitor. This image took home first place in the Maine Photography Show black and white category.

Time Warp at the Portland Head Lighthouse

The Sun rises on a cloudy day over the Portland Head Lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. A long exposure helps smooth the water and add motion to the clouds in this take on the iconic lighthouse at Fort Williams. If you look closely enough you can see a fisherman out on the rocks to the left of the light. Only fisherman and photographers are crazy enough to be out before the sun rises along the coast in the summer. We do get the best views though. And if you're wondering how a vertical panoramic print like this would fit in to your decor I have a large print of this image that fits perfectly in between two windows. Just sayin.

Wheel in the Sky Keeps on Turning

Yeah don't know what that title means exactly. This is the old ferris wheel at Palace Playland in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. This particular ferris wheel has since been replaced by a wheel with big generic plastic buckets. I miss these burnished burgundy cars and the old school bare bulbs of this version. So much more character.

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.

Cobblestone Bridge

Jordan Stream flows below Cobblestone Bridge south of Jordan Pond in Acadia National Park. The stone bridges scattered throughout the park support the network of carriage paths that crisscross the park. As a kid we used to bike on the paths in the summer and ski them in the winter. When I got older they were a perfect way to get off the tourist filled roads on my bike. I used to know these paths like the back of my hand. Nowadays I barely remember where the entrances are located. I love the way that fall colors sometimes look in black and white. In this case the brightly colored leaves turn white providing great contrast against the dark shadows of the stones.

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

The Burning Bush

Valley of Fire, Nevada. Storms like this don't roll in too often up here in the Northeast so when I get the chance to witness scenes like this it's always pretty special. I was actually in the middle of photographing the sunset to the West when I turned around and saw this storm system rolling in across the desert. I made a mad dash down into this little valley looking for some foreground interest and came away with this image. The clouds here look to me like tendrils snaking down from the heavens. What they're grasping for I have no idea.

Ocean Front Property in Arizona

On my last trip out to the Southwest my party and I made a couple attempts to get permits into the iconic Wave in Coyote Buttes North. We struck out both times but I'm happy to say I still found some waves out in White Pocket in the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument area. Awesome awesome place and one of the most truly awe inspiring light shows that I have ever seen this night.

Very Superstitious

The superstition mountains at lost Dutchman state Park in Apache Junction Arizona. Watch out for those cholla cactus quills. Those tiny barbed needless will stick in you and never let go.

The Rock and the Milky Way

This image of the Milky Way rising over the Atlantic in Biddeford Pool illustrates one of the challenges of shooting the stars. The narrow depth of field afforded by shooting wide open (in this case f2.8) necessitates that you will need to take multiple pictures at different focal points to ensure you get a final image that will capture both a foreground and background that is sharp.

Under the Boardwalk

What goes on down here under the Boardwalk after all the revelers let out of the bars above on a hot summer night I don't want to know. However on frigid early mornings it's about as peaceful as you can get in Old Orchard Beach. A few joggers running by, a stray dog walker and most likely a couple fellow photographers to keep you company are all that you'll see here.

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.

The Bend

The sun sets over Horseshoe Bend in Page, Arizona. For me this was one of the most challenging shots to make ever... My fear of heights (which I feel is justifiable by the ever present possibility of plunging thousands of feet to a gruesome and twisted death) forced me to crawl on my stomach to the edge of the canyon to make this image. That experience alone was gut wrenching enough without having to endure the pitying stares of the other photographers lined up along the edge.

Custom House Tower

One of the oldest, proudest and most recognizable buildings along the Boston skyline is the Custom House Tower, now home to a Marriott Timeshare. At least the building is still in use I suppose.

Boom!

Sunrise Explodes over Nubble Lighthouse in Cape Neddick, Maine. Great sunrises are few and far between but this one was a scorcher. A long exposure saturated the colors even more here and I gotta say I love that little boathouse down on the rocks.

Moonscape

It wasn't until my second trip out to Death Valley that I made it out to Mesquite Sand Dunes. Truly a fantastic shooting experience. If you've got any water or weatherproofing gear use it! Blowing sand refreshes the landscape every day but will lodge in both gear and person in ways that will make your day uncomfortable. It should go without saying but it's hot and trudging up and down these dunes is more than a walk in the park.