Than with a pumpkin festival! There is a small quaint town in Maine named Damariscotta where an annual pumpkin festival and regatta take center stage in October. On a recent trip to the area we were able to photograph some great works of art by local pumpkin artisans.
Here is one of my favorites
Have a great weekend!
On a recent trip to Maine, I had the pleasure of visiting a small coastal town named Bristol. One of the many attractions in Bristol is Pemaquid Point Lighthouse. The original lighthouse was built in 1827. This version didn’t last long because the mortar used in its construction as mixed with saltwater, causing the mortar to break apart.
The lighthouse that stands today was built in 1835 with mortar mixed only with freshwater. It seems like they got it right this time!
Here is one of my favorite images from the morning.
Another great vantage point to photograph this lighthouse from is down by the ocean. In order to get there you need to climb down some steep, wet rocks. Keep in mind it is pitch black while you are attempting to do this! Unfortunately I arrived after the best light but was still able to make this click. I especially like the reflection in the tidal pool. Only wish that pool was bigger.
This last image intrigued me because of the position of the flag, and the glow of the light around the lighthouse. Now that I look at it, I wish I had moved the tripod so the flag was a little more to the right of the lighthouse.
The last 2 images just don’t do it for me. They were good attempts but I guess I just have to go back to Bristol some time soon! It rarely happens that you are able to create the exact image you want the very first time. And with sunrise lasting only 30 minutes or less, you can’t get to every position around the lighthouse that you want. There are always sacrifices in life.
Every photographer seems to have a renewed sense of inspiration when they visit a new location. Some of my best photographs were made at locations I visited for the first time. The real trick is to create great images in ordinary places. I often pick a spot close to home and make believe it is a new location. Removing the pretense of ordinary from the location allows my creative juices to flow, usually with good results.
These images were taken in my backyard!
One exercise you can do to help with creative block is to make sure to move your feet. Put differently, your feet are the best zoom lens you have! The two images below are the same plant, taken at the same time, on the same day. The only difference is that each image is taken from the opposite side of the plant!
The above image of front lit sea grass with fall foliage in the background is a nice image.
Here the sea grass is backlit and turned into a b&w image for effect which I think makes the image much more compelling.
So next time you think you don’t have any good subjects to photograph, stop making excuses and get out and shoot.
Last week was an important week for me. As many of you know I have been working hard on my photography over the last 2 years. My friends and family will tell you that my work ethic in most things I put my mind to is second to few others. So I have been working the last several months with a mentor, Moose Peterson. I pursued Moose as my mentor (I think he wanted to have little to do with me at first!) for several reasons. Most importantly because he has dedicated his life to using photography as a communication medium in a way few others have, by speaking on behalf of wildlife. The message he communicates is one of compassion and awareness for the wild heritage that is all around us but rarely appreciated.
The message he communicates best however is the love affair he has with his craft. That message shines through with every press of the shutter he takes. There is no better way of proving this to you but to tell you to look over his website and read his new book, Captured.
The reason last week was so important is that my mentorship with Moose is coming to an end and I wanted to impress him with where my photographic skills have evolved. Doing so was important to me partly out of pride and partly because he has become like an older brother. Moose balances constructive criticism with making sure I don’t get full of myself by letting me know my skills are still a work in progress. But at the conclusion of our week together and during the 9 hour drive home from Baxter State Park, I realized that the outcome of the images I had taken over the course of the week was secondary to the other lessons I have learned from Moose (I know you are all getting confused on which moose I mean!). Most importantly, that every image I take needs to be filled with passion for it to be worth the paper or memory card I used to store and display that image.
Our week culminated in Baxter State Park with the intention to photograph Moose during the rut. I have never seen a moose in person before and I had anxiously anticipated this trip. But a Nor’easter that rolled into the area seriously dented our plans. 1 of 3 days was a complete rain out and the other 2 were gently said, not very cooperative. To Moose, these events were taken in stride. His answer to my obvious disappointment and frustration was to go and do what he does well, turn lemons into lemonade. While finding moose was out of our control, making great images wasn’t.
The program I have been involved in with Moose is Master of Light Program. If you want to seriously take your photography to the next level, I strongly suggest considering this mentorship. BTW, its not for the faint of heart, its a lot of work but the rewards are worth it if you are serious about being a better photographer. And if you think being a better photographer is only about f-stops, exposure and focusing, you have a big surprise coming!
Part of my recent trip to Maine included a stop at Baxter State Park. While the Moose were elusive there was no shortage of beauty to photograph.
Baxter is a 210,000 acre park that was created by donations and contributions from a former Maine Governor, Percival Baxter. It is truly a beautiful spot and one I plan to visit again sometime next year. Hopefully I will find more moose upon my return!
I was fortunate to have spent the last 8 days in Maine. I love to spend time behind my camera, especially when the subject matter is something as spectacular as fall foliage in Maine. The time is void of the hustle and bustle of everyday life, just me and my subject(s). It was on this trip that I decided I needed a new schedule for my blog. So today is a new beginning. I will be starting you all off each week with Monday Musings. This is meant to be a fun way to kick off the week on everyones worse day, Monday! The new posting schedule will be 3 times a week, as close to Monday, Wednesday and Friday as possible. Over the course of the next few weeks, the new blog schedule will be accompanied by new work in the main gallery of my website www.vincentmistretta.com
Hope you enjoy!
Road on our way to Sandy Stream Pond, Baxter StatePark, Millinocket, Maine
