Maine trip

Hello all. I will be taking my first trip to Maine June 24 thru July 3rd and I am seeking advice. I will be spending my first 3 days in the Baxter

state park area and th rest of the trip at Acadia. I'm looking for any helpful advice anyone has to offer. In Baxter I would like to photograph

moose and landscapes and in Acadia I Would like to photograph pretty much everything ie seascapes, lighthouses, sunrises, sunsets,

whales, fishing boats, mountains, and pretty much anything else out there. I was hoping to find a photographers guide but unfortunatley The

only photographers guide I can find won't be published until June. Again any advice would be great. Looking for places go shoot places to

avoid and anything else you may have to offer. Thanks in advance.

<p>Check Bob Atkins website at bobatkins.com. Bob has an article called Acadia National Park Photography Guide.</p>

<p>Moose - despite all of the Moose warning signs on the roads - are pretty hard to find unless you're an experienced hunter. There are a whole lot more in Baxter State Park than Arcadia.</p>

<p>My wife was born and raised in Maine and I have spent years working there - we have each seen one. You might try to find a hunting guide to help with that.</p>

<p>Acadia National Park is beautiful, so that's a good shoot. But be SURE to get to Bass Head Light. The best light (of course) is sunrise and sunset. The lighthouse has a red beam, and if you're lucky enough to get there when there's fog (well before sunrise is the best shot), you can come away with spectacular images of the lighthouse lighting up the sky in red. </p>

<p>Obviously, a tripod is a must for shooting in that light, and lenses from your widest to about 200mm will yield distinctly different views, each of which will be memorable.</p>

<p>Pemaquid Light (much further south) is also pretty nice to shoot, though the white light is a little less exciting. But get way down on the rocks and look back up at the light with a nice wide angle lens for a unique view.</p>

<p>Enjoy your trip!</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Moose can be hard to find, make sure that you get up early, you might want to consider traveling out on the Golden Road in the AM or Evening. Personally I only travel that road on sundays due to the logging trucks (they have the right of way), but make sure that you have a good map and perhaps a GPS if you are not familiar with traveling on Logging roads.<br>

If you hike with your gear, there are some good hikes, hiking in to Chimney Pond, (be careful though parking is tough, and they can limit where you park as the lots fill upfast) is nice, and a lot of pics are taken with the mountain reflected in the lake.</p>

<p>Get the photographer's guide to the Maine Coast. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Photographers-Guide-Maine-Coast-Perfect/dp/0881505358/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267831853&sr=8-1">http://www.amazon.com/Photographers-Guide-Maine-Coast-Perfect/dp/0881505358/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267831853&sr=8-1</a><br>

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Yes, Moose are hard to find. My mom and I went a trip to Moosehead Lake, specifically in search of Moose, who we assumed were merely fictional creatures like unicorns. After a few days of trying, we finally gave in and followed the advice of locals, who suggested that the most reliable place to see them is by the place where they store the road salt. Not exactly a picturesque sighting, but it worked. Good Luck!</p>

 

<p>Acadia - Cadillac Mountain, sunrise & sunset. Otter Cliffs, Thunder Hole ( the initial route when entering the park) sunrise. Jordan Pond - a couple hours after sunrise, a couple hours prior to sunset. The Bubbles - I've gotten some interesting sunrises from there. Bass Harbor - morning or afternoon, not good for sunrise or sunset at that time of year. Beech Mountain - quiet side of park, great secluded sunset spot - pretty easy hike. The Ovens, but you have to access it via private property so you have to ask for permission and you only want to go to it at low tide - be humble about it and it isn't a problem. Asticou Gardens but it will have peaked by the time you go. The Wild Gardens have lots of interesting ferns as well as other things. </p>

<p><a href="http://home.comcast.net/~ka2000/acadia/">Acadia Aerial photos</a></p>

<p>Brian-<br>

I can give you a couple of ideas for shooting moose in the Millinocket area. If you go to Millinocket (not hard to find) and you go to the center of town, ask for directions to Golden Road....a popular hangout for moose....I've been there and been able to get withing 20 yards of them. If you can get to Greenville, keep going on Lilly Bay Road until you get to the edge of Kokadjo. If you take a left you arrive at a place called Lazy Tom Bog....there are almost always moose there in the morning and late afternoon. The road itself is Moose central....moose like the bogs along it and you can actually watch them feeding and they cross the road frequently. It may sound fantastic, but it's true...been there done it (see my shot "Twins") (The time you're going is not ideal for moose, however...too many tourists!) You can also shoot Mt. Kineo from Rockville....about 20 minutes from Greenville on Moosehead Lake. Acadia is a wonderland to shoot....Do Sand Beach (watch out for jellyfish!) Otter Cliffs, Thunder Hole, (and that entire Park Loop Road...if you've never been there you'll be awed by its beauty). If you have time, hike Gorham Mountain....not too rugged a climb and a fabulous view of the coastline. Somesville is a gorgeous little town very near Acadia...you've probaly seen shots of the library there and will recognize it. The town is right at the mouth of Somes Sound, and it too is very picturesque. Jordan Pond is another very scenic spot, but will be crowded at that time of year. Get out early each day and you'll beat most of the tourists. Cadillac Mt is gorgeous, and offers many views of Frenchman's Bay and the other mountains surrounding Cadillac. Bar Harbor is a pretty little town, and is another great spot....you can go down to the Town landing and shoot to your heart's content...plenty of room (and keep your eyes open for eagles over the ocean!) I think the hardest part for you is going to be deciding what you want to shoot. Good luck! I hope you get some beautiful weather and scenery while you're there!</p>