Maine in the Summer

Thoughts on photography up north

“Summer is coming.”

Not exactly Game of Thrones ominous, is it? Quite the reverse. Summer is when we get out and enjoy the light and the warmth. It is when we take most of our pictures.

Here in Washington, DC, we’ve had a cold winter and a vacillating spring — mostly cool. Summer will be welcome, and, as preparation, I just attended a workshop in southern Maine led by Rob Knight, photographer and teacher from Atlanta.

He timed it just before the tourist season starts on Memorial Day. Nobody was there yet, but most of the summer businesses were open. Delightful. And typical of Maine — half cloudy/rainy, half glorious sunshine. It wasn’t comfy warm quite yet, but perfect for practicing our skills.

It got me thinking about northern climates as a photographer’s summer destination. Maine isn’t the easiest place to photograph, frankly. I’ve been there many times over the years and have usually been a bit frustrated with my results.

This workshop helped focus my thoughts. I went over pictures I’ve taken over the years to illustrate some of the issues that photographers encounter. If you’re heading to Maine, or to northern coasts in general — U.S. or Canada — here are some thoughts.

Weather, light, and color

Our workshop had two days of clouds, rain, and fog, then two days of clear sun. They produce opposite light. That’s Maine.