Storm Light at Giant's Stairs

BY BENJAMIN WILLIAMSON

Strong wind and large waves provided an awesome sight at the Giant's Stairs on Bailey Island this afternoon [Jan. 27, 2019].

Fort Popham Ice

BY MAINE MOUNTAIN MEDIA

A strong image can stand alone, but as many visual artists know, a good accompanying story can add greatly to a viewer’s appreciation. I was initially drawn in by Maine Mountain Media’s strong composition and beautiful tones. The shapes work together masterfully and the front-to-back lineup creates tremendous energy that draws your eyes through the photo. The subject, familiar to anyone who has visited the fort side of Popham, doesn’t overpower the design — this is a hallmark of a great image. So often, we are drawn to photos because of the subject, not the skill of the photographer. All of that made me want to read the story that accompanied it. Spencer Austin Mendell’s thoughtful narrative brought me closer to what he was feeling when he created the image, and it reminded me of so many of my own similar experiences. We are all telling stories in our photos, intentionally or not. The best photographers are usually great storytellers and know how to connect with their audience.

“Leaving the house this afternoon I was not very optimistic about capturing a great photo. I have been wanting to shoot more photos of these old piers that litter the Maine coast, but upon arrival at Fort Popham, I was not very inspired. Watching the tide go out and my original photo idea disappearing, I was observing these large chunks of ice floating out from the Kennebec River into Sagadahoc Bay. Because of the receding tide, a few of them floated near the shoreline and proceeded to beach themselves. As the waves splashed over them I knew I only had a short amount of time to be able to capture the water streaks that I wanted. I set up the tripod, put the camera on, tried not to get my feet wet, and worked as furiously as I could to get just the right composition. Sometimes you see beautiful elements but are not able to arrange them in a cohesive manner, this was one of those times. But I was able to overcome some of those challenges and create what is by far my favorite photo of 2019.” - Fort Popham Beach, Phippsburg, Maine. 2.6.19

Old Orchard Beach

BY KARL RAMSDELL

In addition to capturing the Van Gogh-like waves at Old Orchard Beach two weeks ago, Karl Ramsdell also captured this magnificent sunrise at the same location this morning [Feb. 5]. Karl says it was there for three minutes and then, poof — it was gone!

Ocean Point, Boothbay

BY BEN WILLIAMSON

Most of Maine saw a spectacular sunset this evening [Jan. 28]. Our photographer Benjamin Williamson was out there capturing the magic at Ocean Point in Boothbay.

Sailor Take Warning, by Dean Bugaj

This image by Dean Bugaj is a fantastic example of a seascape. Maine’s shoreline can be challenging to capture, but Dean handled it well by paying close attention to detail. First of all, the composition is wonderful. By placing the horizon near the top of the frame, he’s eliminated a flat expanse of sky above the sunrise and brought our attention to the arrangement of rocks. I love the way the water flows through the scene. This is a great example of using a slow shutter speed to your advantage. Finally, the color contrast between the burning orange sunrise and slightly cool blue water adds another layer of interest to this great photo.

The Androscoggin Swinging Bridge, Brunswick–Topsham, by Ben Williamson

The Androscoggin Swinging Bridge was featured in our March 2018 Where in Maine? Ben was able to fly the drone over the bridge in November to capture this beautiful view of fresh snowfall.

Full Moon Over Portland, by Chris Lawrence

This image was sensational from the moment it arrived on the scene to ring in the New Year. Full moon images were becoming popular, and Chris really took it to the next level in finding the perfect corner of Portland to showcase what makes these so exciting. The working waterfront with a tall masted ship and lobster boat, a touch of arctic sea smoke on the ocean, snow-covered brick buildings with windows reflecting the light of the rising sun, and the moon perfectly positioned behind a beautiful church steeple all work together brilliantly to tell the story of an idyllic city, Portland at its best. Timing is everything, and Chris chose the right moment with the moon being neither too bright, or washed out with the light of day, to capture this. This one is worth repeated views.

A Perfect Storm, by Colin Zwirner

When gathering images for this post, I was trying to stick to 2018, but this image from October 2017 was just too good to pass up. Bass Harbor Head Light is a popular location to photograph. In fact, it’s probably the most popular location to photograph in Maine, even beating out Portland Head Light and Nubble thanks to its location in Acadia National Park. Standing out from the great number of images I’ve seen from here is hard to do, but this does just that! Extreme weather is one of my favorite subjects, and this has to be some of the most extreme conditions I’ve ever seen someone capture. The sunset looks like it almost didn’t happen, but a small window on the horizon allowed the sun to come through and light up the foreground in the most spectacular way. I can just imagine all of the water in the air and the intensity of the moment of being in this very exposed perch, capturing one of nature’s finest moments.

Sunset Storm, by Logan Hoover

Another great storm image, this taken just a few miles from the previous, comes from Logan Hoover. I was floored by the careful attention paid to finding a perfect foreground to showcase this display of atmospheric beauty. The dock creates an incredibly strong lead-in to the scene with strong diagonal lines pointing directly into the center, giving it a great sense of depth and involving the viewer in a powerful way. This is really well balanced from left to right, with the storm being right at the moment of overtaking us. Notice the spots of the first raindrops on the wood, a really nice detail. The ominous texture and detail in the clouds is very well handled with this exposure, and the colors are attractive without being over-saturated. Just an awesome image.

Storm Clouds, by Jack Milton

Do you see a pattern here? Yes, I’m a weather nut. I was lucky enough to be standing next to Jack with my friend Jon when he captured this beauty. We were all totally giddy with excitement at the incredible display of light unfolding. A thunderstorm had just passed overhead, and the cloud structure was just like nothing we had ever seen. The setting sun was casting beautiful light onto them, and below, a rapidly thickening mist was forming over the ocean. It all came together in Jack’s stunning composition, where he made the creative decision of pushing the iconic fishing shacks of Willard Beach and Portland Head Light into the lower right corner to keep our attention instead on the bank of clouds. This is the mark of a true photographic artist, knowing how to respond and react to a rapidly changing situation with thoughtfulness and poise. Nice work, my friend.

Moored Boats, by Jamie Malcolm-Brown

Here we’ve moved from amazing weather events to pure design brilliance. This distillation of lobster boats and the coast of Maine is perfect in my eyes. The boats are perfectly arranged, the seaweed-covered rocks provide a well-known transition to land, and an unbroken monoculture of fir trees provides an amazing texture. There are three distinct zones, and three corresponding tonal values that also work very well together, blue-green, muted orange, and green-blue. And, to provide the pop and wonderful detail that really makes this sing, you have a spot of red in the lobster boat at the top of the frame. Design, design, design. This has it.

Boon Island Light, by Evan Leith

This is such a cool image. I can’t imagine Evan knew exactly what he would see when the sun rose behind Boon Island Lighthouse, over 7 miles offshore. Thanks to the wonders of technology, he did know where to stand. I imagine he had in mind the opportunity to capitalize on the thick smoke that was filling the air from wildfires out west at the time, and boy did he. The gradation of light as the perfect disc of the sun comes off of the ocean makes an incredibly attractive frame for this majestic pillar. The small bar of rock across the frame does not detract, but actually adds to the image with the few seagulls fortuitously perched directly in the center of the frame. Many of us had been trying similar ideas with the moon, but Evan had the great frame of mind to try something different here, with a rising sun that would not have been possible without the obscuring smoke in this very unique image.

Parting Stones, by Frederick Bloy

Another example of impressive design, this image by Frederick Bloy captures coastal Maine geology in a beautiful way. Our weathered, smooth granite stones are a defining feature of the coast around here. We also have over 4,600 islands in Maine, and I don’t think I’ve seen more photogenic ones than in this capture. Freddy ties it all together with a brilliant composition, highlighting the split between the stones, and placing the foremost island perfectly in the line with these features. I also love the tones he’s chosen, with a harmonious color palette of warm pink highlights smoothly transitioning to deep cool purples. Such a beautiful image.

CAPE PORPOISE SUNRISE

It’s hard to believe how awesome the sunrise was this morning. This image felt like it was burning a hole on my memory card, I just had to share it!

BABB'S BRIDGE, WINDHAM

Babb's Bridge in Windham is one of the few covered bridges in Maine. When it comes to locations to visit when the snow is falling, this is among the best!