Maine Trip
Maine: September, 2020
After many months of self-isolation, my good friend and business partner, Zach Miller, and I decided to escape the mundane and venture off to the scenic state of Maine. I have never been up that way, nor have I explored much of the New England area. It was always by owning a camera that triggered my excitement for traveling. For a good portion of the quarantine, I was simply not taking photos - and I obviously wasn’t going anywhere. By September, I had a new camera - The Leica SL, and I was eager to get out and use it.
Here are some of my favorite images I selected from the near 1,500 photos I took from this long weekend. You can read more about the trip below. I hope you enjoy!
For only four days and three nights, I was very pleased with the amount of photos we took. Zach and I were able to squeeze in a ton of Maine’s iconic locations - The Marshall Point Lighthouse (featured above), Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park, the Portland Head Light, and much more. We were constantly humbled by the beauty that resided just outside our cabin’s front door. Yes, the photo of the cabin with the sea of stars swimming above was where we stayed. It can be found on Airbnb, in St. George, ME, and I can’t recommend it enough.
Our trip was a mix of planning and spontaneity, which is my preferred method of scheduling. Zach and I wrote down, in advance, which locations were must-see. However, being that we were new to the area, we provided ample time to explore and wander the region as well. We planned certain destinations in accordance with the best light possible. As photographers, we wanted to capture these scenic points during the perfect time of day. For Marshall Point Lighthouse, we stayed up late into the night to capture the stars, only to wake up at the crack of dawn the next day to see the sunrise. Though it may not sound like a particularly relaxing vacation, we didn’t mind - the images we captured were worth it. There was nothing more exciting than coming back to the cabin at night to process the photos from the day. Plus, some classic Maine Allagash White was a nice addition.
This trip was certainly a nice escape in the midst of a difficult year. I typically don’t get to practice landscape photography. I’ve exhausted most of my favorite NJ locations to the point that I much prefer shooting urban portraiture or astrophotography. My time in Maine was a welcomed change that allowed me to use creative muscles that I hadn’t worked in a while.
Some Thoughts on Composition
In landscape photography, composition is key. Framing can be difficult because we often compare our own work to other photographers’ best shots. While finding inspiration is a good thing, today, our screens are filled with so much content that we may fall into creative complacency. However, there is a cure…limitations. Don’t be afraid to set limits and challenge yourself; such restraints may yield some incredible, organic results. A common limitation is the “one lens” method of shooting. Don’t pack your bag with four lenses that you won’t even use. Try to go through the day with one focal length. It could be a wide-angle (14mm, 24mm, 28mm), a “normal” (35mm, 50mm, 65mm) or, for a significant challenge, a telephoto (85mm, 135mm, 200mm). You’ll find that being stuck with one lens isn’t so bad because you’re training yourself to think in new, creative ways. You may get shots that you would’ve otherwise never taken because you were limited to that one lens.
That being said, I only recommend doing this if you have the flexibility to do so. If you’re spending a lot of money on a life-changing vacation in a place that you might not make it back to, opt to take as much gear as you can comfortably fit. You don’t want to be shooting the northern lights, wishing that you didn’t leave the 14mm at home.