Visiting Maine next weekend; where to shoot?

[suman]

Friends, I am going to Maine next weekend for 3 days. I knwo it will be frigging

crowded, but time and money only allows such restricted vacation times :(. Up to

the point, what are the best things I shoudl be looking at Acadia NP? And how

accessible these spots are if I don't feel like asking all my mates to walk away

from the car? We wil be staying at Sewell campground, so is there any good

shooting spot around that place to catch a glimse of sunset/sunrise? Thanks in

advance.

[david_eicher]

Been awhile since I have been there. Acadia is a rugged area. Work the shorelines for some great shots. Any ports near by check them out. Lobster shacks make great photos. Bar Harbor and Portland for the lighthouse is a must if you can travel alittle.

[vincent_frazzetta]

I live in Maine, but it's been years since I visited Acadia, and then I wasn't shooting. I can't answer the sunset question, but one thing a visitor on short time might do instead of wandering around aimlessly is to buy a bunch of local post cards at a couple of trinket shops, and visit those places, finding your own angle. Also, consider driving inland just a bit, away from the shore and the crowds to find some true Maine locales...the wooded and distant hills, sweeping farm meadows, quiet ponds and streams, old barns and out buildings, etc. For shore locations, try driving one of the lesser shore roads (rt 186 or 195) and as you go, poke down any road leading toward the sea--these sometimes end up at a fishing dock.

[suman]

In New Jersey, almost all the shoreline is privately owned. Is it teh same in Maine?

[vincent_frazzetta]

Suman...much the same for Maine, unfortunately, but if you drive down even a small road marked with a standard road sign, you're OK...and again, they often lead to go or by a single dock or small cluster of docks--that's why those old roads were laid out in the first place. Just drive slow, pull well off the road when setting up, and if you find yourself at a working dock, just keep out of the way, be cool, and have fun. ps: if you're shooting black and white film, you should probably take along a yellow filter, and if color film, either a polarizer or a skylight--an awful lot of blue what with the sky and the sea.

[vincent_frazzetta]

...another small ps: our seasonal changes are two or more weeks ahead of the Mid-Atlantic states, and the leaves and pine needles are certainly still green, but they've lost their luster, and colors and tones tend to get muddled, so if you're shooting dense foliage maybe a yellow or green filter for b&w, or the polarizer to to bring out the colors.

[brien_szabo]

If you are staying on Mount Desert Island/Acadia there are several good sunrise sunset spots. Otter Cliffs and that whole shoreline in that area is a great sunrise location. Cadillac Mountain serves as both a sunrise and sunset location. And Beech Mountain makes a good sunset location as well (on the other side of the isalnd from the main park). Depending on where the sun rises and sets, Bass Harbor Lighthouse can work for sunsets and I think sunrise as well.

[suman]

Any chance to have a glimpse of peregrine eagle? I will be taking my 300mm lens with 1.5x extender.

[jeffpolaski]

Seawall, aroung the other side of Mt Desert Island. Sunrise with a beach that has large rocks, so I imagine a wide angle could be good. That is the "Quiet Side" of the island, and includes Bass Harbor (and lighthouse) and Thurston's lobster pound. The town of Southwest may have accomodations, but you may luck into a vacancy at Bass Harbor cottages.

Last year I had a new Pentax DSLR, started with a 50mm Macro lens and never took it off the body. Try the Ocean Trail for spectacular views up to Ottor Cliffs. If you are up to it, trails around some of the "Ponds" are great.

Don't eat too many lobster: we are going there for a week in early October. Thunder Hole Ale is a local brew, but the smallest bottle is 22 ounces. Plan your day accordingly.<div></div>

[chansonbleu]

Suman,

 

If you are camping at Seawall there is a nice shoreline trail nearby as you head toward Bass Harbor.Its called Wonderland and is on the left a few miles from the Campground. Beech Cliff over by Sommes Sound should get you some Falcon viewing.

 

Regards

Steve<div></div>

[cappoldt]

I'm just back from Maine, and posted a folder of images from the trip. Most were taken as described above, with my eye looking at locales I'd be staying the night in - rose before dawn to get to them at first light.

 

Even inland, there are scores of lakes, ponds, barns and stuff. Too, this time of year, the wildflowers are magnificent -look for them to use in foreground.

 

Wherever you go, you'll likely find some great stuff - even the little fishing villages offer gems.