One of my "bucket list" items for my photography has always been to spend some time along Maine's Atlantic Coast. In the spring of 2022, I joined my best buddy, Rich Pomeroy, for a week. I think it is important to point out again, that this is just a guide to places I have been and photographed - not a comprehensive guide to Coastal Maine Photography. For that I would recommend the aging (2004) but still relevant, David Middleton book: "The Photographer's Guide to the Maine Coast." We used it extensively during our week in the area and it was an invaluable guide.
Portland is the logical spot to "stage" from, in my mind (though you could also do any one of a few smaller towns to the north and south of Portland). But if you are traveling to Maine, and especially if you are flying, the Portland airport one of those "just right" airports - not too huge and not too small. And it is located conveniently to the city, numerous hotels, and the two main roads north and south: I-95 and U.S. 1. Most of what we did there worked off U.S. 1 - and that makes - I think - Portland a logical place to stay. If you are trying hard to get sunrise/sunset shots, you might think of an overnight at the furthest away ends. But we went all the way to Rockland on the far east coast of the mainland and that is only about 75 miles. A lot depends on the weather, but it wouldn't be impossible to get on the road early enough for a sunrise out there. We generally concentrated nearby for sunrises. The Portland Head Light was just minutes from our hotel and is a great location for sunrise shooting. The others that would have worked well were the Nubble Light (a less than 40 mile straight shot down either 94 or 1) and Pemaquid (about 65 miles on good roads - mostly 95/1). Again, certainly possible to get there for a sunrise. We were at Pemaquid for a sunset. We tried an early morning at Nubble and a later sunset, but the weather pretty much shot us down.
Working out of Portland, I will cover first the points south and then go northeast (or what the Maine natives call: "down east").
SOUTH OF PORTLAND
York
The furthest south we went was York. That is almost as far south as you can go before you reach Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Our destination in York: The Nubble Lighthouse. Our first morning, we woke up to a mostly cloudy setting. The forecast was not for anything better that day. There was just a sliver of light (we photographers sometimes call that a sliver of "hope"), though, and we headed straight for the Portland Head light, kind of on our way to Nubble. We got some nicer images later that week, but this morning - not so much. We made the drive down to Nubble to scope it out. Nothing but grey skies. We decided to spend the day around the area and try to catch a sunset back at Nubble. My good friend and co-author, Carol Smith, was in the area with some friends from her home in Boston, so we met up with them for breakfast, and then we did some other shooting together for most of the rest of the day. I'll talk about some of the spots.
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| Cape Neddick ("Nubble") Lighthouse - York, Maine Copyright 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
The Nubble (a/k/a Cape Neddick) Light is kind of an iconic classic. But it is perhaps one of the most difficult to photograph. The house and lilght and outbuildings are pretty. I llike the gingerbread as a unique touch. But it needs some kind of additional interest. I have seen it lit at night (especially at Christmas) and that gives it something. Perhaps some crashing waves in the front. But the day we were there all we really had was so-so waves and grey skies.
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| Cape Neddick ("Nubble") Light - York, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
As you can see there are rock formations around it that - under the right circumstances, could hold some compositional foreground interest. My first shot above left that out but I find myself looking at the image and wondering what is supposed to be out in front there. The second shows why I left if out in the first. Its just kind of boring. As I said, it needs something. My only commentary for this one is to try to time it with a weather event or a light event, or when you know there will be a dramatic sunrise or sunset, dramatic skies, waves, or even snow. There are certainly photographic opportunities here.
Getting to Nubble: From Portland, I-95 and US 1 are virtually parallel all the way down to York. Logically, if you are in a hurry, 95 would be faster. But there is no "Nubble" or Cape Neddick exit. You will either have to go on past it all the way to York, and then backtrack a short ways, or get off at Wells (the closest exit before Cape Neddick), about 10 miles north and cut over to U.S. 1. If you do the latter (I would), or even just take 1 all the way from Portland, follow 1 down to 1A and veer off 1 onto 1A. Follow 1A for 1.5 miles to Ocean Avenue (becomes Broadway and then Nubble Ave), and take that loop around to the light, 1.25 miles to Sohier Park, where the parking lot is.
Ogunquit
In Ogunquit, there is a very iconic, lobster boat harbor, called Perkins Cove. We headed up there next, hoping for better luck. Worth the drive back up to Ogunquit. Probably my favorite spot in that area.
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| Perkins Cove - Ogunquit, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
Directions to Perkins Cove: Find your way back to Route 1 and take it north to Ogunquit (if you are coming from Portland, follow the same directions to Wells as for Nubble above). In Ogunquit, veer left onto Shore road and follow it for 3/4 mile to Perkins Cove Road. Turn onto Perkins Cove Road and follow it about 1/4 mile to the large parking area. Alternatively, you could take Shore Road (from Cape Neddick) off of 1A and go north across the bridge over Cape Neddick Harbor (we didn't, but had the weather and/or light been nicer, we probably would have. The explorer in me says it would be worth the drive. After crossing the harbor, Shore Road continues along the coastline all the way to Perkins Cove Road.
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| Perkins Cove - Ogunquit, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
Once you get to the parking area, you will see the potential scenes open up before you. There is a quaint, but cool little pedestrian drawbridge, a nice little street with shops, and to your right, the end of Perkins Cove (known as the basin), which - if you get there when they are not all out fishing, will be full of buoy-moored lobster boats. The best shots will probably be from the pediestrian drawbridge. From there you will be facing northwest (mostly west), so you will need to think about timing. On a nice sunrise day, this might make for a spectacularly lit shot. Sunset might also be cool, depending where it sets. I would definitely go back here on another trip to Maine.
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| Perkins Cove - Ogunquit, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
We did a loop that day, from Nubble, to Perkins Cove, to Kennebunkport (I was an old - school Republican when there was a such thing - can't get that close without scoping out the Bush compound 😉) and then back to Nubble to try for the sunset, taking a short detour on the way up the York River. If you are in the vicinity of York and have some time, especially if - like me - you love the lobster fishing boats and harbors, take a drive around York Harbor and up the York River a ways. We did that, but after a tease of sunshine at Perkins Cove, the skies closed down again and it really wasn't conducive to good shooting.
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| Lobster Boat - York River - York, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
I only made a couple borderline "keepers" in that area. This one had some symbolic meaning for me though, and I used it as the basis for some images the subject that had caught my eye. I grew up mostly in Michigan. Our two "major" universities and arch-rivals are the venerable University of Michigan and Michigan State University. I tend to root for the latter. But UM has a pedigree, and has always been one of the sought - after professional degrees (especially law and medicine). Its official colors are maize (yellow) and blue which are rich and really look good. When I saw the boat with its color scheme and the yellow lobster traps, I couldn't help but wonder if "Wendy" was a UM fan! For relevance here, if you kick around these lobster harbors, there are new opportunities for photographs around ever corner.
Kennebunkport
Kennebunk is just 5 miles north of Wells on Route 1. Just another 3.5 miles to the southeast on state highway 35 is the village of Kennebunkport. The Kennebunk River goes from the ocean to the northwest through the middle of Kennebunkport. To the northeast is Cape Arundel, on the Atlantic. Another smaller point - Walker's Point - to the northeast of Arundel forms a small bay. The Bush "compound" is situated on Walkers Point. It is visible only from a distance, of course.
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| Cape Porpoise Harbor - Kennebunkport, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
But that's o.k. There is actually something else nearby to photograph. Cape Porpoise. About 2.5 miles out of the center of Kennebunkport, on School Street, you will come to Pier Road. Follow it out to the end and look for a spot to park. Cape Porpoise is a working lobster harbor and offers up some nice photo ops.
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| Cape Porpoise Harbor Restaurant - Cape Porpoise - Kennebunkport, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
The rest of the coverage of this guide will take place northeast of Portland, and then finally, Portland itself.
"DOWNEAST"
North of Portland. I am not sure if I have this entirely correct, but my understanding of the Maine terminology of "downeast" means the northeast coast of Maine, and the further up the coast, the more "downeast" you are. If I am not correct, hopefully someone "in the know" will correct me and I will get the terminology sorted. But until then, I am going to refer to the next part of the guide as "downeast." From Brunswick, just north of Portland, I-95 continues more or less straight north. U.S. 1 on the other hand takes a turn to the east (or northeast) and follows the Maine coastline on up to and through Bar Harbor and all the way to the the U.S./Canadian boundary near Lubec. We will only go about 1/3 of the distance, to Rockland, but I covered much (if not most) of the coastal area and islands north of there in my Acadia National Park Guide - another roughly 1/3. The final - and most "downeast" 1/3 will have to wait for another trip!
The extremely ragged Maine Coastine lying roughly southeast of U.S. 1 is a maze with what seemed to us never-ending photo oppportunities. There are hundreds of inlets and rocky promontories, and many more coves and harbors along this incredible stretch of the Atlantic Coastline. We had a handful of lighthouses on our list. The two most "urgent" ones were Pemaquid Point Light and Marshall Point Light. We found a third one that, even though most commenters said wasn't worth the drive, we liked and made photographs of: Owl's Head Light. In between, we were looking for harbors. Some we knew something about, but others, we just drove and "discovered."
And that is perhaps the most important part of this "guide." Almost every road off the main ones on every one of these islands and peninsulas lead to the water. And more often than not, when they reach the water, there are harbors. Mostly working lobster fishing harbors and facilities. They make some great "fodder" for landscape shooters. While I will point some of them out, I suggest you do the same. Head down some of the roads. Explore.
Bailey Island/Harpswell
Directions. Bailey Island is at the very bottom of the western Harpswell peninsula. From Portland, find your way to Route 1 north, and follow it to Brunswick. Lots of people have been waylaid, by the way, in Freeport, about 15 miles north of Portand, but the legendary L.L. Bean facility. While it is worth a stop - as is eating in (grandaughter) Linda Bean's very small pub across the street where you can get a pretty good lobster roll. But save it for a rainy day. That's what we did.
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| Bailey Island Bridge Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
At Brunswick, take the second exit (24) Cook's Corner, and turn south onto 24. Follow 24 for 13 miles (the roads are paved and well-maintained but can be narrow and curvy - It will probably "feel" like a lot further than 13 miels). To the Bailey Island Bridge. The Bridge is a unique design of concrete cribs, engineered to be able to handle the flow of the tides. Drive on over the Bridge and on the other side On your right is Garrison Cove. In a few hundred feet you will find a drive to cross over to Garrison Cove Road which you can take back up the other side of the Cove. It is very open here, and you can see everything clearly. Up at the end of Garrison Cove Road is Cook's Lobster House, and a landing. From there you can find a place to park, and find a view to shoot the bridge. The bridge is said to be held together by gravity alone and to be the only granite cribstone bridge in the world.
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| Mackerel Cove Lobster Shack - Bailey's Island, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
The other shot that is iconic, but worthwhile is about 1.5 miles from the south side of the Mackerel Cove Bridge. Continue on down 123, past the actual "Mackerel Cove" to your right a short way. The "iconic" shot is the brightly colored, bouy-decorated lobster shack seen in the photo above. It doesn't look much different than it does in Middleton's book (taken nearly 10 years back from 2022). Most of the shots you see of of it bring the shack front and center in the image, with some of the cove in the background. To do that, you must scramble down a bank to the beach (the bank is directly in front of the boat in my image. The road is narrow with very little space to park on either side. Directly across there is some private property that looks like some kind of very old boatyard - but not a parking spot. We had to find a spot up the road a bit. But it is worth the stop. I wanted to make something unique and when I saw the bright red, beached boat, I knew I could make it large in the foreground and accomplish my goal. There are many different views you could compose here - depending on the tides. The rocks which the shack sits on are covered with green seaweed, making for interesting compositional opportunities.
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| Mackerel Cove - Bailey's Island, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
When you return back north, turn left toward the actual Mackerel Cove. There is public parking there, and lobster boats and a pier on the other side of the cove also provide some photo ops. You could continue down to the end and look for photography scenes. We did, but weren't particularly impressed with anything.
Cundys Harbor
Cundy's Harbor is an authentic, somewhat remote, working lobster harbor. It is also on the eastern Harpswell Peninsula, south of Cook's Corner.
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| Cundys Harbor, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
Directions. Using the directions to Bailey's Island, take the Route 24 exit from Route 1 just past Brunswick. Follow 24 down just under 4.5 miles to Cundys Harbor Road. Turn left onto Cundys Harbor Road, and follow it for about 4 miles until you reach Cundys Harbor. You will kind of drive right by (or perhaps through) it on your left. There are a couple of shops and stores where you can pull off and park. Then just get out and walk around. There is a rather large facility where the the boats offload their catch, with a restaurant and a wraparound porch. There are several different spots where you can shoot around the harbor.
Boothbay
Boothbay is a popular summer destination and tourist attraction. While there is evidence of the lobster fishing industry everywhere on the coast, the concentration of watercraft here seemed to be more pleasure craft and as we were quite early for the summer season, I am sure there would be many more later in the year. There were lots of shops, restaurants, and local hotels along the harbor. The combination of rainy, dreary weather and the earliness of the season didn't leave us with much to photograph and we did a quick stop and walk around and decided to head for "greener pastures." I think on a summer day in full season, and maybe at night on the harbor, there would be some interesting shots though. The one image I did make out side a shop while walking around the town shows that you can almost always find an image - in this case an image that unmistakenly says: "Maine."
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| Boothbay, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
Getting to Boothbay. From Portland, find your way to Route 1 (north) and take it to Wiscassett (about 40 miles). Continue on through Wiscassett, over the bridge, another 2 miles, to route 27. Take 27 (Boothbay Road) south to Boothbay Harbor. just over 10 miles. In town, Boothbay Road (27) turns into Townsend Avenue and passes by the harbor which will be on your left.
There is one unique feature in Boothbay Harbor that would be worth looking at for its photographic possibilities. There is a 500 plus foot footbridge across the northern end of the harbor, with a "bridge house" built on pilings and a couple piers from it. It is fairly open and there is a lot going on around it, making it a "busy" composition that might be a challenge. Its wide expanse would mean you would need a wide-angle view, and I am not sure where you could get that composition. But again, when we were there, the odds were against us, in that it was drizzly and gray and there were almost no boats in the harbor. I would like another chance at this one during the summer season. I think there may be a few shots of and from the bridge that might be pretty nice. This is a spot I think you might want to do an overnight or two, to take advantage of both morning and eveing light, and most likely some nightime shots. Depending on the time of year and the time of day, I would definitely keep this on the list. It is a location you would need to spend some time in to do it justice - and it was time we just didn't have on this trip. Middleton suggest looking at shots from Atlantic Avenue on the east side of the harbor for sunrise and with the harbor lit from the morning sun; and Commercial Avenue (note that it is a one-way street) on the western side for afternoon and early evening light.
Newagen
Robinsons Wharf. We found this one on our way down to the Cockolds Light. It was not in Middleton's book. It probably should be. As you travel south on 27 from Boothbay, you will cross over to Southport Island. Doing this, you will cross two bridges. The first one is called the Southport Swing Bridge (and is in fact a swing bridge). The second one is more of a causeway type bridge an is right at the very beginning of the road, just after you turn south on 238. Tucked into the y-shaped land mass formed by the junction of 27 and 238 is tiny little Robinson's Wharf, in Decker's Cove. There is a restaurant and convenience store there. At first you might mistake as just a wayside, but while I was waiting for my buddy, Rich to use the lavatory and get a fresh cup of coffee, I got out of the car and walked around and immediately saw the boats, traps, and pier. I went back to the car and grabbed my camera. As dull as the shooting conditions were, there was just a touch of fog out over the cove, and I made this image, which in retrospect, was one of the better "catches" we made that day. It is a quick stop on the way to the next destination - but as fate would have it, sometimes "the destination" becomes a bust, and what you find along the way, a total gem.
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| Robinson's Wharf - Southport, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
Cockolds Light. From Robinsons's Cove (see above) , at the junction of 27 and 238, turn south (left) on 238 and take it along the eastern coast of the island, all the way down to the village of Newagen, at the end of the island (just over 4.5 miles). At the bottom, 238 turns back into 27 and heads back north up the middle of the island. But before that, look for the small local, "Town Landing Road." Turn left onto Town Landing Road and take it all the way to the end (about 1/4 mile). There is a very small dock, and harbor there (Cape Harbor), with 3 islands in the near distance. The Cockholds Light is a small lighthouse that is just offshore here. We could see some pretty nice possibilities, with the islands and the light in the background in the harbor. But on this day, we were stymied. There was not another soul (nor boat) in the harbor or near the dock and the fog was so thick we could just barely make out the light. I would surely go back again at a time when there was better light.
Pemaquid Peninsula
If you only had one or two days and asked me if there was a "not-to-be-missed" part of the Maine coast, I would say it is the Pemaquid Peninsula.
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| Pemaquid Point Lighthouse - Bristol, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 |
There are three major, "must-see" sites here for photographers: The Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, Pemaquid Harbor, and New Harbor. I think the Pemaquid Light is the best of the best among all the lighthouses I have ever photographed.
Directions to the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse. The lighthouse is (as you would expect) on the farthest southern tip of the peninsula.Technically in the Town of Bristol, this light is easy to find. It is a fairly long "poke" from Portland, but we did it twice and it was worth returning to on our second try. From Portland, once again find your way to Route 1 north and head for Damariscotta, about 50 miles from Portland. Just before Damariscotta you will spit off of Route 1, onto Business Route 1 (for Damariscotta). At the intersection of Business 1 and 129 (about 1/2 mile) turn south onto 129. In just over 3 miles, you will reach a "y" intersection of 129 and 130. Stay left onto 130. 130 will take you the rest of the way down, through the town of New Harbor (at the 9-ish mile point) and then to then end of the road at about 11.5 miles (from when you got on 130). There is a large parking lot, and a "Fishermen's Museum" building. The light is right there.
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| Pemaquid Point Lighthouse - Bristol, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
The Pemaquid Point Lighthouse is a very traditional, whitewashed stone light tower with an attached white house. There is also a red brick utility shed (the Bell House) that has traditionally figured into most photographs. Devastating storms in 2024 severely damaged the bell house. It is my understanding that it has been rebuilt since.
What is truly incomparable about this lighthouse though, is its surroundings and what they offer in terms of photographic composition. It is positioned in such a way that (when there is sun), the sun hits it from both east and west making it a potential sunrise and sunset destination. It sits on top of a huge granite formation that slopes down into the ocean. The relentless wave action over hundreds of years has carved long, narrow, parallel schisms in the granite. When the waves get high enough to crash over that granite wall - and they do - they leave puddles of water that create wonderful reflection opportunities. There is relatively little shelter around the point, so when there are any seas, the waves do crash, creating spectacular images of breaking waves.
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| Pemaquid Point Lighthouse - Bristol, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
When the tide is low and/or the seas relatively calm, it is possible to scramble down the lenght of the granite ledge and include it in your foreground, making a nice leading element. It is, at the same time, a very dangerous photographic spot. The evening we went back we got a very welcome break in the otherwise completely overcast and foggy conditions, right at about the time the afternoon sunset light was beginning. That gave us some blue skies, and clouds, and also produced the reflections we were seeking. But the seas were really rough that afternoon. There were about 4 shooters who had low to the ground tripods set up to catch the reflection of the lighthouse in the foreground. We could hear the waves crashing behind a kind of natural wall behind us. It had rained earlier and we assumed the pools we were using were caused by rainwater. But we were wrong. 3 of the 4 of us had gotten our shots and pulled back, but my buddy, Rich was in the wrong place at the wrong time and a rogue wave broke over the wall, drenching him from the shoulders down. He had moved just in time to get his gear up over his head. But the real takeaway here is how easily he could have been swept off his feet and carried by the receding wave into the sea! So if you do try these shots, be vigilant about the conditions around you.
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| Pemaquid Point - Bristol, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
Back up 130 from the light, Pemaquid Harbor and New Harbor sit across from each other on either side of the peninsula: Pemquid on the west and New Harbor on the east sides.
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| Pemaquid Harbor - Bristol, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
Directions to Pemaquid Harbor. Its a toss-up which one you go to first. This one is (by a few hundred feet) the turn you come to first. From the light go back up 130 about 2 miles to Snowball Hill Road. Turn left on Snowball Hill for about a mile and you will reach Pemaquid Beach, and historical Fort William Henry. We just kind of wandered around the area looking for spots to shoot from. Pemaquid Harbor's anchorage is a lot further and deeper into the peninsula, making it a relatively calm and sheltered little cove.
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| Pemaquid Harbor - Bristol, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
Directions to New Harbor. Head back up 130 from the Pemaquid Light (or about 800 feet from the junction of Snowball Hill Road and 130, where you will turn left onto 130 and only g0 800 feet) for about 2 3/4 miles to the junction of 130 and 32. Turn right onto 32 another 3/4 mile and you will be at the parking lot of Shaw's Wharf (a commercial lobster fishing operation). There is plenty of parking, and we walked down the hill to the wharf and were pretty much allowed to walk around the place as long as we didn't get in anybody's way. Like the other lobster harbors, there are plenty of shots of lobster boats (mostly on their mooring balls). But in my view, the real show here are the Shaw's Wharf Buildings, including a restaurant on the water. This was one of my favorites of the trip with its colorful red buildings and the yellow and green of the lobster traps stacked all around. Definitely worth seeking out and making a stop.
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| Shaw's Wharf - New Harbor, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
From Shaw's Wharf (which is situated in the middle of the harbor on the North side, your shots will be lit from the east in the morning and the west in the afternoon. We were there mid-afternoon, and it was probably fortunate that we didn't have a bright, sunny day at that time. The overcast even lighting with just peeks at the sun gave us the opportunity to record the bright colors nicely. Othewise, I would judge the best times to be there are just after sunrise (until the light gets too hot) and just before sunset, as the lowering sun becomes softer and more directional.
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| New Harbor, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
There are two other spots between Boothbay and Pemaquid. They are close together at the southern end of the peninsula between Boothbay and Pemaquid, at the end of Route 129. Time was an issue, and though he waxes on about the wonderful shooting opportunities at these two harbors, Middleton does not include any photos of either spot in his book. In order to get there, we would have had to drive from Pemaquid Point back up to the junction of 129 and 130, turn back down 129 and travel all the way back down again. Not really that far, but all of the factors above meant we just couldn't fit them in. I would recommend you explore though - time permitting. They are: South Bristol Harbor, and Christmas Cove. Google Maps shows both of them chock full of boats.
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| New Harbor, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
St. George Peninsula
The final (but certainly not the least productive) area for the guide is a wonderful lobster harbor and two photogenic and unique lighthouses, all on the St. George Peninsula: Port Clyde, and The Marshal Point Lighthouse and The Owl's Head Lighthouse. This was our longest shot from Portland, and was a full day of shooting, but was well worth it. Again, we were plagued by less than ideal weather conditions, but we made the best of it. We will start with Port Clyde, and Marshall Point Light (which is right in Port Clyde).
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Directions to Port Clyde. The Route 1 jumping off point this time is the town of Thomaston, Maine, just 3.5 miles southwest of Rockland. As usual, find your way to Route 1, north from your base of operations. From Portland, Thomaston is 80 miles up, mostly all on Route 1. At Thomaston, your target is the junction of 131 south (you will cross the 131 north junction about 1 3/4 miles before you get to 131 south). Turn south onto 131 and follow it south for 9.5 until you come to a "Y" junction. To your right Turkey Cove Road, and to your left (continuing) 131 forms a few mile loop. Both end at Port Clyde. You could take either road. We took 131 because it was slightly shorter and seemed like a straighter shot. The destination was the Port Clyde Harbor and the Marshall Point Lighthouse, so we really weren't paying much attention to the on the way part, but either way, it is give or take, 4 miles. 131 ends just on the edge of Port Clyde, where it interects with Glenmeer Road to the north and Drift Inn Road to the south. The straight continuation road is Port Clyde Road. Take it to its end just over 1/4 mile to the south side of the harbor, where most of the activity and shooting opportunities lie. You can get to the north side of the harbor by taking Co-op road (second road on the right once you start down Port Clyde Road). It is worth working both sides, as from the north you can shoot across and have the piers in your background (see the first shot above). From the South Side you can shoot from the piers. Lighting and your own personal vision will drive you here. I personally preferred the perspective I found from the northeast corner of the back part of the harbor.
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Port Clyde is a busy little harbor, but a fully engaged, commercial lobster fishing port. It is a working port and a working village. Over the last century, it gained some notariety as an artists enclave (Andrew Wyeth had a summer place - first owned by prior Wyeth generations; and L.L. Bean heiress and grandaughter Linda Bean, a patron, founded the Wyeth Art Gallery there). The primary industry, though was fishing. In prior years, there were are large canned sardine production and a canned lobster facility there. Today, the harbor is still full of boats, and piers with stacks of lobster traps. They are the newer style traps and you will have to use your imagination to visualize what they might have looked like back in the wooden trap era.
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But the good news is that - at least for color photography - the new traps provide colorful elements to your photographs of the harbor. I would judge Port Clyde to be the most photogenic and productive of the lobster harbors I have photographed in Maine to date.
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| Port Clyde, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
Another positive photographic point for all of these small, working harbors is the possibility of finding more intimate shots in and around the harbor. The boat below was a "find" in my opinion, that actually provided fodder for a couple different versions of final images. The heavily weather wooden boat with its chipped paint and retro look made a good study for black and white. I had fun with it in post. I also played around in post with some depth of field and soft focus/selective blur approaches. In addition to old boats, there are always lobster traps, bouys, and lines.
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Directions to Marshall Point Light. 131 ends just outside of Port Clyde. Instead of continuing straigth ahead into the village (or, if you have already been to the harbor and are coming out of the village on Port Clyde Road), turn south onto Drift Inn Road and follow it just 700 feet to Marshall Point Road. Turn right onto Marshall Point Road and follow it down (through some wooded areas) to the end and the the Marshall Point Lighthouse (about 3/4 mile). There is a small parking lot there. I am not sure what happens when that fills. We were there on a gray, cloudy, windy, weekday afternoon in late April. We were the only car in the lot.
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Marshal Point Lighthouse - Port Clyde, Maine
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As you can see, the Marshall Point Lighthouse is rather unique. For movie buffs, this lighthouse is the one Tom Hanks ran to in Forrest Gump. The wooden causeway approach out to the crib is uncommon, if not unparalleled. The weathered treads, accented by the white painted, unusually patterned railings make a very nice leading element. Indeed, the "iconic" shot of this light is one with the walkway leading out to the light. Its other characteristic is that it is solely two-toned. Black and white. Which makes it an ideal candidate for some B&W renderings.
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| Marshall Point Light - Port Clyde, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
But don't just take the iconic image and walk away. There are numerous compositional approaches to this lighthouse. The living quarters (now a museum) are behind the stairway at the end of the walkway. It is entirely separate from the light structure. The porch has stately columns and there are various compositional possibilities from and around the porch. Also, don't for get to walk down on the beach (there is a reasonalby sandy area down to the right as you face the light).
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| Marshall Point Lighthouse - Port Clyde, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
Owls Head Lighthouse
This lighthouse was a bit of a surprise to me. We had been told by a couple other photographers that it wasn't really photogenic. "Don't bother." "Not worth the drive over." Middleton talks about it in his book but doesn't include a photograph. But once we made the drive all the way over there, we were so close, and we had some time on our hands that afternoon. We decided to go see what it was about. I am glad we did. I am not sure what created the lukewarm attitude by the others. It is certainly not the best lighthouse I have ever visited or photographed. Not even in the top 10. Probably not worth a drive from Portland (or a trip to Maine) solely to visit it. But at the same time, if you are somewhere in the vicinity, it is worth the relatively short drive and walk to see it and try your own hand. We spent at least an hour walking around.
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| Owl's Head Lighthouse Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
Directions. The major town of Rockland is right on Route 1 and right on the coast. It is just 4 miles further from Thomaston. As we noted above, Thomaston is 80 miles from Portland (mostly) on Route 1. To get directly to Owls Head, continue on Route 1 on into Rockland. In Rockland, right by the harbor, Route 1 turns north again to follow the Maine coastline further "down east." But we want to leave Route 1 here and turn south on 73 (Main Street in Rockland). Follow 73 south just under 2 miles to North Shore Drive. Turn left and follow North Shore drive another 2.5 miles to the village of Owl's Head. In Owls head, turn left on to Main Street and take it 750 feet to Lighthouse Road. Follow Lighthouse Road about 3/4 mile to the Lighthouse Parking Lot. From the parking lot, the lighthouse is a hike of about 1/4 mile on a flat, well maintained, gravel path. If you continued straight on Main Street in Owl's Head you would end up at the harbor in just 500 or so feet. Because of time and weather considerations, we did not check that out, but time - permitting, it would be worth a look.
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| Owl's Head Lighthouse Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
PORTLAND
What about Portland itself? There are, in my opinon, two attractions in Portland. One is the Old Port area, and the other is - of course - the "big Daddy" - The Portland Head Light. There was just no way I was going to visit Portland and not photograph that light. Like almost every photographic endeavor, lighting and weather conditions will determine the success of your trip. But when you know you might possibly only have the one chance, you have to make the best of it. That is what we dealt with in this case. Our hotel was literally minutes from the light, so we made at least 3 trips (I lost count) there - always at the beginning or the end of the day. The lighthouse sits at the entrance of Portland Harbor in Casco Bay, technically in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
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| Portland Head Light - Cape Elizabeth, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
Getting to the Portland Head Light. As noted, it is minutes (depending on traffic) from downtown. Obviously, getting there will depend on where you are coming from. We have been working off of Route 1 for this entire guide, so I will start there. There are a lot of hotels along that corridor, just east and south of the airport, and south of Portland "proper," more accurately, in South Portland. Near the airport, the road we are looking for off of Route 1 (Main Street in that area), is Broadway Street. through South Portland for about 2 miles. You will come to a broad, curved intersection. Stay right (still on Broadway) for another 1/2 mile, where you will turn right onto Cottage Road. Cottage Road will shortly become Shore Road (same road, different name). The entrance to the Park (Old Fort Williams Park) and to the lighthouse parking area is about 2 miles from when you turned onto Cottage Road. There are a couple entrances. They are small, but well enough marked and it will be obvious. The drive in from Shore Road is just about 1/2 mile.
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| Portland Head Light - Cape Elizabeth, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
There is a walking path along the shore, and there are marked viewpoints both to the north and to the south of the light. It is not unusual for photographers to climb down on the rocks in front of the lighthouse on the southern view. There aren't (when we were there) any signs prohibiting that and you are going to find better perspectives from there. It is a tidal area. Wet rocks can be slippery. Exercise common sense. From the north, I didn't see an way to climb down off the path or the viewpoints. But even if you did, you would lose the best compositional perspective from that point. You need to be up above the light for good shots from the north. Overall, I prefer (and I think that may be the concensus of other photographers) the view from the south.
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| Portland Head Light - Cape Elizabeth, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
Because the light sits on a promontory that guards the primarily north/south entrance channel, it is very possible to photograph the light in either direction. Morning is generally going to be best, as the rising sun lights things up nicely from the water side of the light. With the rocks and when wave action is present, crashing waves, there are almost unlimited compositions. It is one of those spots where every time I see another shot, it looks different. Perhaps why it is so fun to shoot. Even though it tends to put the lighthouse further away and smaller, I really liked the dramatic foregrounds we were able to include by using wide-angle lenses here. At the time we were there, I was in the market for a wider angle lens but did not have one. I was able to get the wide perspective I wanted though, with my Samsung Smartphone (image below). While I wouldn't want to rely on that for serious shooting, or attempting a large print, it does give you the feel for what a true wide angle will give you.
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| Portland Head Light - Cape Elizabeth, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
Old Port of Portland
As cities go, Portland has its photogenic spots. The best, in my opinion, are in the old part of the city on the water: The Old Port. Perhaps it is my personal affinity for boats, and nautical related things. I also love the reflection opportunities that the flat water in the harbors create. But even away from the water, the Old Port has become a night life and foodie hotspot, with lots of trendy daytime shops as well. It is always kind of fun to walk around a city that is alive with a camera. The primary purpose of our trip was - of course - landcapes and and working harbors. But we did have one evening at the end of the trip where we headed down to the old port to walk around and have dinner. In my mind, "cityscape" photography isn't really conducive to the "guide" format, but because I was in Portland, I took a few fun shots. I will just add a couple of images I liked, in order to give you a "taste."
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| Old Port - Portland, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
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| Old Port - Portland, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
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| Shop Window - Old Port - Portland Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
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| L.L. Bean - Freeport, Maine Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved |
Thats what I know about the Maine Coast. Hope you can get something from this guide, and hope you get to make (at least one) a trip out there! Its worth it!
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