The Milky Way and a Photo Workshop - Acadia NP

On a whim last weekend, we drove up to Acadia for a night.  The weather report looked decent so we took a chance.  The weather was just perfect.  The sunset was nice though a cloudless sky does not make for great images.  We waited for darkness as the moon went lower on the horizon and the stars appeared.  Not much waiting and we started photographing the Milky Way.  It is amazing how many cars just hang around with their headlights on (just perfect for astrophotography).  Folks running around without a care - so what if I hit your tripod - I did not mean to - it just happened.  We managed to get a few shots and a panorama that I will post later.We decided to come down Cadillac Mountain and head for Boulder Beach to photograph the Milky Way with the boulders in the foreground and Otter Cliffs as an anchor on the right. As we approached the walkway to the spot where you climb down, we met two photographers. Strangely there was a lot of shouting from some people down at Boulder Beach.  They were yelling about lights and how they were doing a workshop etc. - extremely rude.  The two photographers who were up on the walkway indicated that the workshop leader asked them to leave Boulder Beach as he was conducting a workshop. Excuse me - this is all a National Park and we all have a right to be there.  As a workshop leader, these people need to be considerate and courteous to fellow photographers - not be nasty and rude.  Based on this feedback Monica and I decided not to go down but shoot from the overlook above.  You need a light to get to the overlook so as Monica started toward the overlook the shouting started all over again.  She was rudely told to switch off her headlight - now must one walk in the dark and risk a fall?  There is a way to accommodate other photographers in situations like this.  Give them space and the time to set up, it is a public place after all.  There is enough room and the stars are not running away.  I did look up to see who it was that was conducting this workshop, I don't know him, but I hope he learns a little photographer's etiquette.Here is an image captured from Park Loop Road:

Blueberry Barrens

Mid October the blueberries have been harvested and the barrens in Maine are ablaze with color.  The fall foliage provides a great background for these vast expanses of red, yellow and green. Around the third week of October the barrens are mowed down to the ground so you need to get your images before the mowing begins.

Another great "Glorious Acadia" fall workshop

Got back late Monday Night after a wonderful 4 day "Glorious Acadia" workshop.  Had a great group of photographers and met some wonderful friends and made a few new ones too.  All-in-all this was a 5 star workshop.  One last one left this year in December - The Bosque del Apache and White Sands - a few spaces are still available.Here are few images form various locations: I was looking to do something a little different during tho workshop.  There are way too many images of the same subjects and the same tripod holes.  Here isa lone dead tree lit up by the setting sun.  I knew it was going to be a full moon so we stayed at the same location and turned around about 130 degrees.  The next images is the moon rising.The next image is a customary sunrise looking out toward Otter Clifs.  A few more clouds would definitely have added to the image. At otter cove I did an IR time lapse using the 16 to 35 mm series two Canon lens.   This was a disaster as this lens just like to older version creates a massive hotspot in the center of the frame of each image.  Trash canned the lot bout a deep crop on one image was useable.I will be posting a few more images captured by the wonderful participants.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of them for coming and being so supportive.

One final slow shutter speed image from the trip:

  

Looking Back at 2011

2011 was an interesting year in a lot of respects.  Most important and foremost I would like to thank all of you who participated in my photo tours, educational workshops and one-on-one lessons.  I would also like to thank all my photography clients both individuals and  corporations and my sponsors, you have all been fantastic and I look forward to your continued support in the coming years.I truly enjoyed meeting and making new friends and the process of learning from each other.  The incredible experiences in Florida, Alaska, Colorado, Cape Cod, Maine, and New Hampshire and all the one day trips in and around Massachusetts will never be forgotten.After many months of planning the 2012 schedule is about ready to be published.  Most significant are the photo tours and workshops to India in February, Florida for another great bird photograpy workshop in March,  Smokeys in the Spring  -  this starts the year.  Keep an eye out for details and more information as we post it in the workshop pages on this blog.Also planned are a number of one and two day sessions for macro, lighting, composition, Lightroom and Photoshop training.  As always, customized one-on-one programs are also available.None of this would have been possible without the incredible amount of planning and organizing by my photograpy partner and loving wife - thank you M.

Glorious Acadia Workshop Report

It sure has been a crazy week - returned from a fabulous 3 day workshop in Acadia.  Despite all the issues with the hotel closing we got rooms at a decent motel one mile from the park entrance.  Some rain the first afternoon resulted in staying indoors but the next two days were perfect.  The winds on Saturday were a force to be reckoned with.  It was impossible to keep the camera steady with constant gusts.Here are a two more images.This was shot with a 2 second exposure to tame the ocean a bit. One bit of creativity:

Glorious Acadia - Fall Color and Landscape Workshop

With the slow progress of the fall foliage - I am announcing a 3 day 2 night workshop in Acadia, Maine October 14 to the 16. In addition to Landscapes and Foliage there is also the possibility of photographing the famous Acadia MarathonClick here for details: Acadia Workshop 1Please use the Workshop page link to register.