Now the trio I was with had no idea what my imaging mission was... come to think of it neither did I.  The later than planned,  afternoon departure from Massachusetts went quick and revealed that I was sharing a back seat with a techno like I had never experienced before...  before we had gone 15 miles Tom had booted up his think pad with Delorme Atlas, the machine had a GPS attached to it.  After some quick calculations on it, he made the announcement that we would be at our first stop, Cape Neddick (Nubble Light) in 2 hours, 29 minutes and some change.

At our first morning stop, Two Lights State Park in Cape Elizabeth I was caught up with the morning light playing on the sea coast granite...  as we scouted for the right angle to photograph the lighthouse, I got distracted by some bright yellow-orange lichen on the rock formations...  I passed on the scenic shots of the lighthouse and spent my time trying to figure out the right light and cropping for the two images shown here.  I was amazed at the contrast of the bright color of the lichen compared to other growth that I had become accustomed to seeing inland...  on another outcropping of rock a vein of white quartz running through the granite adds counterpoint to the scene...
 

Curiosity got the best of a resident after seeing four photographers running around the neighborhood with tripods 4x5s and fuji panoramic 6x17 cameras.  Stopping by to see what we were up to she asked what kind of publication we were working for.  Yhen made mention that she was married to one the U.S. Coast Guard officers that were stationed at the light as a lighthouse keeper and offered to give us a tour of the structure...  nick couldn't have been more pleased, as always, very appreciative of any American hospitality...

Looking for something different at the top of the towerI found this gem,,,  one of four that rotate around the lamp of the light house.  Each freznel element measures about 18"x36".
 
 
 
 
 
 

Pemaquid Light in Bristol was our next stop,
the tide was a almost full high,  the rocks and running waves played before the camera.  the waves played so hard at one point they almost got the camera.
 
 
 
 
 

On to the eastern most point in the united states...  we arrived in Lubec late in the day on Wednesday...  the trip up from pemaquid was scenic with beautiful views of mt. desert island and coastal bays to our east...  a quick trip around lubec gave us the insight to the location of the west quoddy light:  far off in a channel a spark plug like lighthouse sat in a mud flat...  not a real picturesque site...  with day lights' starting to fade we had  precious little time to make evening images of this particular light ! In fact, the sky became mostly over cast.   as we drove closer to the point, fog started to crawl in for the last half of a mile....  my thoughts about what would make real good lighthouse images finally started to gel...  what are light houses for anyway? quoddy head light has guided ships though nights like this in all seasons... 
 
 

As the evening grew long Tom and John retired to the car to play with the lap top, talk on their cell phones...  Nick and I held our ground with tripods set up to the north west of the light....  it was a magical hour as the fog danced in circles and bright spikes shot out into the heavy nights' air...  there was no rain but our gear needed to be wiped down after returning to the car...

So there we were, on the eastern most point of land in the United States....   two of the guys Meers and Curley scrambling through the rocks and sea weed on an early morning shoot.  McCarthy and I stayed on firmer ground to extract what we could from the scene.  It was the next to last day of the road trip and being totally uninspired by this particular lighthouse, with the early morning light, I instead turned my camera on things more visually interesting to me.  People have always taken up a major portion of my film supply. The backlit image of Tom and Nick setting up their gear seemed right, and it was.

Things seemed right from this place,,,

so right in fact that turning the camera 180 degrees and aiming up to the top cliff this cedar ghost tree was caught hanging very near to it's demise...  I stood and wondered how long it has hung there and how much longer will it hang on.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The last day:   on the road back Portland Head Light was the target.  Leaving lubec in the mid morning afforded us some time to kill to make Portland near sunset for the golden hour. The ride down the coast was, as always, filled with new ideas, concepts, stories, good humor, and stops at Dunkin Donuts.

Portland Head is a wonderful lighthouse that commands an awesome view of the Portland harbor...  unfortunately for the panoramic shooters tourists abound.  Luck was with us as we made our last evenings' film.  The Nova Scotia ferry was due to arrive in port!  As usual looking for something different, this image was made from on of the  embankments of the old fort.

Print availability:

Images contained on this page are available as open edition, signed, fine art prints.  High Resolution Digital Prints are made from digital master files on CSI LightJet Equipment.  The print material used is Fuji Crystal Archive Paper, this paper offers life expectancy that exceeds all other manufacturers specifications. (rated at 60 years by Wilhelm Imaging Research, Inc.)
Prints are available in 16x20, 20x24, 24x30 and are offered mounted/matted or mounted matted and framed.

For information on print pricing, matting and framing Email your request to: barnold@meganet.net
 

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