Tag Archives: Photography

Ah ha! Here we are, the first of August, a new month, and I actually have an update! Aren’t you happy! Of course you are. I can feel your excitement radiating through my computer screen.

Anyway, yesterday I went on yet another hike. Where, you ask? Back to the place that is quickly becoming my favorite, Quoddy Head State Park.

It started out as a beautiful day. At my house, the sun was shining, the sky was blue with only a few big white clouds here and there so I decided, time for a hike. I packed up my camera, hiking gear, and some lunch and headed out. (Oh, my mother went with me so when I say “I” in most of this I mean “we”) I expected it to be as nice at Quoddy as it was at my house. But, you know, this is Maine. Never expect nice weather at your destination. Granted it wasn’t pouring or anything, just foggy.

Foggy!? On the coast!? Naw!

Yes my friends. It was foggy.

I guess the first time I went there with my father, we hit it on just the right day. It was clear then and we could see Campobello, The Wolves, and Grand Manan (all parts of Canada for those of you who aren’t up to speed with your geography). But last time and this time, the fog was so thick we couldn’t see fifty feet out into the water.

Now I thought I was going to get some cool and maybe even spooky pictures of the trails being all foggy. But, my luck, FAIL! The fog pretty much dissipated the instant it touched the shore. Oh well. There was cloud cover which is a photographers best friend when shooting outdoors. It made the light even. No harsh shadows. No bright spots. Etc.

So I took quite a few photos while I was there. 132 to be exact. Man am I glad I use digital. Taking that many with film would cost a fortune.

But anyway, I hiked approximately five miles yesterday. Five freaking miles. Through good and bad spots. Bad spots being mud and rather rough terrain close to the edge of a few cliffs. And lucky for all of you I didn’t fall! Got my shoes completely soaked with mud and muddy water but I didn’t fall!

Oh, right, this is supposed to be about the photography. Oops. So what, I get carried away sometimes. So sue me. (really, don’t sue me, you won’t get much)

Now, on days like yesterday (cloudy/foggy) when I’m on a trail like the ones at Quoddy I tend to like a slightly underexposed image. It gives a sort of dark, moody, almost drearily creepy feeling to the image.

Example #1…

(Specs (for those who’re interested): Camera: Sony A100. Focal length: 20mm. F-Stop: 4. Shutter Speed: 1/13. ISO: 100)

Example #2…

(Camera: Sony A100. Focal length: 35mm. F-Stop: 5.6. Shutter Speed: 1/8. ISO: 100)

So yeah, the trails are pretty cool when they’re not muddy (I have yet to see them in their non-suck-you-down-into-the-darkness muddy state but I‘m sure they‘re nice).

One thing I like about the place is the views. Both without and even with the fog.

Example #1…

(Camera: Sony A100. Focal length: 24mm. F-Stop: 10. Shutter Speed: 1/400. ISO: 100)

Example #2…

This one here reminds me of a scene from Stephen King’s “The Mist.”

(Camera: Sony A100. Focal length: 70mm. F-Stop: 13. Shutter Speed: 1/250. ISO: 100)

Ooo…Creepy…

Example #3…

I think the fog adds to the feel of the image.

(Camera: Sony A100. Focal length: 30mm. F-Stop: 7.1. Shutter Speed: 1/125. ISO: 100)

Anyway, there’s one more I’d like to share with you folks today. It’s a really neat rock stack that somebody made. This area called Green Point is basically a big rock outcropping and people make these rock formations randomly. I try to take as many pictures of them as I can because they’re never the same the next time I go back. The weather (and other people) take them down and new people come along and build new ones. Some people look down on this but I think it’s neat. A form of expressive art that isn’t hurting anyone or the environment.

(Camera: Sony A100. Focal length: 45mm. F-Stop: 8. Shutter Speed: 1/400. ISO: 100)

Now I traveled/hiked a total of five miles on the trails of Quoddy yesterday. A year ago I wouldn’t have been able to go five steps without being winded. I’m rather proud of myself.

And luck must have been on my side because the weather held out just long enough. As I was heading back to the car I felt a bit of a sprinkle starting (and no, no birds were peeing on me….I checked…). Once I was in the car enjoying my fruit salad an all out downpour started.

Driving back home the rain never let up. I don’t know how my luck worked like that but I like it!

Upon arriving home and checking the mail, I found that my graduate certificate form from the New York Institute of Photography had arrived. Now, did I get that filled out and put in the mail today? You can bet your sweet ass I did. Now I just have to sit back and wait a few weeks for my certificate to arrive and then I’ll be considered an official graduate of the New York Institute of Photography! Whoot!

But I guess that’s all for now folks.

Keep on rockin’ on!

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~A.M.

I’m so bad at keeping up with this thing. I’m trying, though. I really am.

Anyway…

I never in my wildest dreams, thought I’d ever call myself a hiker. I said hiker, not hitch hiker! But here I am, planning my next outing.

I’ve always been a fan of the great outdoors but was never in good enough shape to do any serious hiking. I’m still not in the greatest of shape but I’m a hell of a lot better than I was a few years ago. I can actually walk a mile without getting tired. Go me!

So why am I telling you all this? I’m so glad you ask these questions! I’m telling everyone this because, well….because I can, really. But also so people know where some of my recent photos are coming from and how I came about capturing them. I thought it’s about time I take this blog in a more photography oriented direction.

As you know from my last blog, I went to a place called Quoddy Head State Park. The Easternmost point in the U.S. of A. A beautiful place with a light house and 5+ miles of trails. I’ve gone to this place twice now and I still haven’t seen all the trails. But what I have seen has impressed me. Spoiled me in fact.

Why do I say it spoiled me?

Well, yesterday I went to a little place called Birdsacre Sanctuary in Ellsworth Maine. I had driven past this place countless times and never realized what was there. So yesterday I decided to make a special trip down to Ellsworth and see what this place was all about. I was interested in the hawks, owls, and various other birds they have there (most of which won’t be able to be released back into the wild due to health ailments), but the trails were less than pleasing. At least, the trail I was on at the time. There were a few interesting points along the way though, like Egg Rock (Just what it’s name implies, a huge rock that looks like an egg), and Queen’s Throne (a huge tree that looks like a seat).

I’m not sure if it was because of the rain we’ve had or if the trails are always like that but they were muddy and difficult to navigate. On top of that we had to do furious battle with mosquitoes the entire way.

I did manage to walk away with a few decent shots though. Like this one.

Now, stupid me, I didn’t write down what type of owl this was. I’m thinking it’s a young snow owl but don’t quote me on it. Regardless, he was cute. Isn’t he cute? It was kind of sad though because he has what looks like a tumor or some other kind of growth on the left side of his chest. You can’t see it in the photo I took (that was done on purpose) but trust me, it didn’t look too nice. Poor thing.

He didn’t seem too afraid of me. In fact, he seemed like he was either trying to impress or intimidate me. He was about a hand’s width from the cage and sat there while I got right up to the cage and took the picture. When I lifted my camera, he kind of puffed up his chest a bit then cocked his head (as you see in the picture).

Moving on…

On the way home I decided to look into a little trail that I had read about in the Milbridge / Steuben area. I found the road easy enough but had a bit of trouble locating the actual trail. After about five minutes of searching, at last, I found it. It’s called the John Hollingsworth Trail (or the Shore Trail by locals) and it’s on the costal edge of a little wildlife refuge in Steuben, Maine.

I was afraid that it was going to be like the trails at Birdsacre but I was pleasantly surprised.

Being by the ocean there was a nice calm breeze and no mosquitoes to be found. Although there were a few murky portions of trail, it was pretty easy going most of the way. Granted it wasn’t the kind of hike someone would want to take if they’re just looking for a simple leisurely walk.

Getting out to the point where the trail met the coast there was a pretty little rock beach that was completely empty and very peaceful.

On the other side of the peninsula you can see a lighthouse out in the distance. I forget the name but I’ll remember to write it down next time I go. That and I’ll remember my big lens so I can get a closer shot of it than this.

The trail continued on around the peninsula and met back at a point near the beginning.

That trail is definitely on my list of trails to visit again.

I’m psyched for next month. Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th to be exact. My family and I will be heading to Acadia National Park on one of those days for a day of hiking. I’ve never been there before but everyone I’ve talked to says it’s beautiful. I need to find a really good backpack to carry all my hiking supplies and camera equipment as well as a really good pair of hiking boots.

But, I guess that’ll be all for now folks. I don’t want to bore everyone to tears here.

Until next time…

Keep on rockin’ on!

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~A.M.