AnotherMaine.com

New Work Blog and New Website

2011-04-01T13:47:00.002-04:00

The few regular readers of this Blog will notice that I've not been all that diligent in keeping up with personal work here in the last half year or so. I've been adding quite a few photos to my FaceBook Albums, but the double entry thing is tough to keep up with so this place has suffered for it.

Now, I've had GoodPhotos.com completely redesigned to reflect the broader scope of photography that I have always done for business but had never really advertised and have also decided that I should have a 'work' Blog linked to the 'work' site instead of my 'personal' Blog there linked, so I've created THIS BLOG as a 'work' Blog to showcase my current assignments.

This page will continue to exist as a good example of my personal work 2005-2011, but likely not be updated a whole lot more than it has been in recent months.

Updates from the trip to Monterey, CA

2010-09-03T01:18:00.002-04:00

Tracey and I were hired to document a wedding in Monterey, CA and we made a family vacation of the week prior to the wedding. (Haven't had a 'real' vacation for almost a decade, so we took the grrrls and had some fun.) Here are the photos that I've put on FaceBook from the trip...

Big Sur and the Redwoods

Mission San Carlos Borromea del Rio Carmelo

The 17 Mile Drive on Pebble Beach

Monterey Museum of Art Gardens

Monterey and the Surrounding Area

28th Annual Popham Beach Beltaine

2010-05-02T18:37:00.002-04:00

Just this one here this year. The other 84 photos of the day are on my Facebook account HERE

Open Carry BBQ in Portland

2010-04-25T23:39:00.012-04:00

Nearly 100 people gathered on Portland's Back Bay today to have a BBQ and celebrate the fact that in my home state it is still legal for adults to carry a firearms openly in public.

Counter to the illogical claims that more guns = more violence, Maine has nearly the highest firearm ownership per capita of any State in the Republic and yet we also have some of the lowest rates of firearm violence in the Nation.

There was also a small gathering of anti-self defence folks who would make Open Carry illegal in certain municipalities. This movement is spear-headed by a local Portland politician. These folks are so scared of the power of inanimate objects that they somehow make the leap of logic that if they just make firearms illegal that criminals will choose to obey THOSE laws and not use firearms when they break other laws to victimise the law abiding (therefore legally unarmed and defenceless) populace.

Luckily in Maine, Augusta took the reigns of gun legislation from the political subdivisions of the State back in 1989 when then Portland Police Chief "Media Mike" Chitwood tried to enact a 19th Century Blue Law of restricting firearm carry in daylight hours. I think it was telling that even in Maine's most liberal municipality, the anti-self defence folks were outnumbered by about 3:1 by the pro-self defence crowd.

The only mar to the cheerful, articulate and well mannered pro-self defence crowd that I saw was some moron had decked his truck out with a Confederate flag flying high above the United State Flags and the truck was laden with claims of communism and socialism from the President. Of course, this truck owner has every right to voice such ill informed opinion...just like his predecessor, President Obama is a Big Government Corporatist, not a Socialist nor a Communist. Neither of our last two Presidents are against redistribution of wealth as long as it services a larger more powerful government and their Corporate Sponsors. My objection is to the flying the Confederate flag in a State which lost so many brave men fighting against what that flag stood for. That alone would be a grave insult. Flying it in prominence over the flag of these United States of America which stands for the ideals of the Constitution which Guarantees the very Rights which they were celebrating, is just outright stupid and should be called such by anyone regardless of which side of the open carry issue we are on.

My parting photo is of a man who stated as much..."I believe that these people have every right to carry their guns in public, but I oppose the racism and hatred that that [Confederate] flag represents here."

An interesting afternoon regardless.

The Pro-Self Defence crowd...(Mostly having interesting conversations and waiting for burgers.)...

The much smaller Anti-Self Defence crowd...Even in very liberal Portland...

The burgers smelled good, but we went went grocery shopping and out for Sushi afterward. :)

This young lady was 'openly carrying' a nice compound bow rather than a firearm...

Elliot. Teacher...Artist...Lust for Creative Life.

2010-04-22T23:21:00.003-04:00

Elliot lives on Walton Street in Portland and has turned his yard into an exploration of found art from the neighborhood. He is overjoyed and excited to share the experience with anyone who has sincere interest. He is a retired 5th grade teacher and as a lust for life that is contagious. The day I visited, he had just had a visit from a van full of developmentally challenged young adults. They and he had had a wonderful time exploring the ever changing installations.
Elliot is certainly one of the cool people who make Portland a really neat place for a city.

In Bloom, ForCynthia

2010-04-22T15:59:00.003-04:00

When my mom was little my Nana used to tell her that Forcythia was "For Cynthia."
That has given me an extra smile while I've been enjoying these brilliant yellow expressions of New England waking up for a couple of weeks now.
Some of the other trees and bushes are also looking spectacular.

PAW #12, 2010

2010-03-17T00:41:00.001-04:00

Muffin, Starbuck and Cassiopeia helping Tracey with her Geology homework.

PAW #11a, 2010

2010-03-17T00:39:00.000-04:00

Another photo of the bored (yet fashionable) teens while shopping in Freeport. (Outlet Mecca.)

PAW #11, 2010

2010-03-17T00:14:00.000-04:00

I've made a LOT of photographs of them in diners and restaurants while waiting for food all their lives. At 12 and 13, they've learned to just ignore me.
(Two S90 photos, stitched together in PS.CS3.)

PAW #10, 2010

2010-03-08T00:02:00.004-05:00

Nicole and Rusty.
Snuggling on the warm couch.
At my mom and dads.

Posted via email from AnotherMaine & GoodPhotos

PAW #9, 2010

2010-02-28T11:59:00.002-05:00

We had nearly a full moon last night shining brightly on the newly fallen ice/slush/snow. This allowed me to revisit the trees from the bathroom window (hey, it was cold out there!) but with different camera settings. The previous shot (see:First Attempt at Pictorialism below) were made at 12,800 ISO, this one is merely 800ISO. Far less noise (~grain) and much better colour (which I retained this time), but then again, Luna was a quite a bit brighter. I'm REALLY happy with this little camera.
800ISO, 1Sec. f/2.0 handheld (braced) Canon S90.

Posted via email from AnotherMaine & GoodPhotos

PAW #8, 2010

2010-02-25T23:34:00.002-05:00

It has been mostly a very mild Winter but we got hit with a Slush Storm Nor'Easter last night. 8 inches of very heavy wet slush on top of very slippery roads.

Posted via email from Michael's posterous

PAW #7, 2010

2010-02-25T23:29:00.002-05:00

Meg trying to look innocent...I'm not buying it.

Posted via email from Michael's posterous

PAW #6, 2010

2010-02-25T23:07:00.007-05:00

The County of Cumberland, Maine hired me to photograph and print all of the Great Seals from each of the 28 towns in the County for the 250th Anniversary of the County.
Most towns didn't have an official Seal for photographing (with a few wonderful exceptions) and some towns don't have an official Great Seal at all, but with lots and lots of PhotoShop work and scrounging of source images from small stickers, memorial coins, Notary style paper 'seals' and town truck decals, I came up with something for each of them, printed them all up 12"X12" at the Photo Market on Forest Ave. in Portland and had the fine folks at Artiplaq, Inc in So. Portland mount them all in their wonderful archival fashion.
They all hang now in the County Courthouse and copies have been given to the towns as well.

Posted via email from Michael's posterous

PAW #5, 2010

2010-02-05T00:49:00.004-05:00

Kevin styling in Mark's Hat.
(Canon S90)

Posted via email from Michael's posterous

First Attempt at Pictorialism

2010-01-20T00:29:00.004-05:00

I'll make better attempts at pictorialist work in the future.
It is a genre that I think should make a resurgence in the digital age.
This was an insanely high ISO (12,800) handheld lit only by moonlight.
The soft and intense noise in the image makes it look like something shot turn of the 19th C.
Canon S90 Special High ISO mode.

PAW #4 - 2010 C.E.

2010-01-20T00:25:00.003-05:00

From Casco Bay on the Diamond Run at sunset.
Kind of a snapshot, but it was too pretty to pass up.
S90 Canon

PAW #3, 2010

2010-01-11T19:36:00.004-05:00

Sunset this evening over the Mt. Washington Valley in NH.
Canon S90 (trying out the 'Sunset' scene mode just for fun...played with it in PhotoShop a little too.)

the sun sinks down low
the whole world glows blue and gold
my heart beat slows down

(maybe I'll make this another 'One Good Photo and one Haiku that doesn't totally suck a week' project again.)
:)

Posted via email from Michael's posterous

PAW #2 - 2010

2010-01-09T22:40:00.003-05:00

Some friends and I went to see Avatar in 3D. Of course I took my S90 with me. :)
(I'd seen Avatar with family in 2D already and don't usually see movies in theater twice, but this is a really great film.)

Posted via email from Michael's posterous

PAW #1, 2010

2010-01-03T13:14:00.002-05:00

Canon S90. PSCS3 crop and tone.

The snow for the first storm of the year/decade was slick and mostly unplowed/unsanded here in the hills, but not overly deep. The USPS did not deliver our mail on Saturday so we decided to stay safely ensconced in our cabbage here at Heronswood as well.

First Post of 2010

2010-01-03T11:35:00.005-05:00

Congress St., Portland, ME on New Years Eve 2009...

I have created a FaceBook account this last year and have been posting many of the photos that I used to post here, there to share. I will see if there is a way that I can link these two accounts and will endeavor to use this space at least once a week this year to continue with the 6th year of my Photo A Week project. I was presented with a new Canon S90 camera for Yule and this camera allows me the mobility of a point and shoot and the quality of at least the first DSLR that I owned in 2002 so I should be able to be a bit more prolific in my personal photography than in the last few years where in order to photograph to the quality that I want, I had to carry an entire kit of my pro gear.

I hope that you all enjoy the very best of a full and simple life in 2010 and that it finds our world more Freedom and more Peace.

27th Beltaine at Popham, 2009

2009-05-05T17:50:00.003-04:00

I've written a LOT about this annual event in the last several years which all may be read HERE, but if you'd just like to see the 80 or so photos that I made this year click the photo above. :)

Maine Maple Sunday 2009

2009-03-22T17:07:00.002-04:00

I created a multimedia story about Maine Maple Sunday for this blog back in 2006, but this year we ate a nice breakfast and I only made photos. See them here:

The Miss Portland is re-Born!

2008-12-19T21:26:00.003-05:00

Back in 2005 I blogged a post here about the Miss Portland Dinner being run down and closing her doors. This last summer, the Dinner was reborn just a few thousand feet down the street on Marginal Way from where she had thrived for so many years previously. She now sits with an expanded kitchen and dining room right next to the new Student Housing complex for my alma mater, the University of Southern Maine...

The new exterior...

The warm and inviting original dinning car...

Happy to report that the food and atmosphere is just as wonderful as it used to be.

Family Time

2008-12-01T13:05:00.002-05:00

Mom's Birthday...

and Thanksgiving...

Pepere and Charlotte making some music...

A very long Turkey Day for Nana...

PWCA doing what the PWCA does...

The Boo following suit...

PAW 2008 - Sebago Lake

2008-11-15T13:46:00.001-05:00

The several acres of cattails which grow near the boat landing on Sebago Lake in Raymond, Maine have always impressed me. The light and foliage with the cattails in the foreground on this day demanded that we stop and I make a photograph.

Haiku from The PWCA

2008-10-13T07:45:00.002-04:00

Fall Haiku for Dad's Birthday
by Nicole Caitlin Berube (at 11 years old)

Crisp, red, autumn leaves.
A sunset, filled with orange,
Night drives it to fade.

Long strands of color,
Dissolve into the darkness,
Is not forgotten.

Inside, the wood stove.
Flames dance, lapping at the wood.
The warmth is cherished.

Stars glow, signaling
The night, as if to begin.
The cats purr softly.

Comfortably happy,
They both drown out the silence,
With their content song,

They all flex their claws,
As if to beckon comfort.
Supportive creatures.

Contently staring,
They bob their heads lazily,
Welcoming a nap.

September Sunset

2008-10-07T20:43:00.002-04:00

Saw this on the way to band practice and took a bunch of photos. This is one of my favourite from the bunch. The sky was very "Maxfield Parish" I only PhotoShopped this to get back close to what the sky actually looked like.

New photo of Nicole

2008-10-05T17:42:00.004-04:00

By candle light at our Alban Elfed celebration.
(not bad for 6400ISO available darkness.)

Pub Portraits

2008-08-22T11:45:00.003-04:00

Went out in Portland last Tuesday instead of practice with the band. Kevin, Shanon, Mayleen and I went to see some singer songwriters at The Empire. Prior to that we had a meal at The Brian Boru pub. The light was great in the pub so I made some portraits. I've been trying to replicate the look of early 20th C. camera work for a while. These shots gave me something to practice with. My new D700 fitted with a 28-70/2.8 Nikkor gave me enough light to work with even by low candle light in some of these. Selective soft focus and quadtone techniques in PhotoShop allowed me to get closer to the feel of the early 20s portraiture I think...

This is a great image that Kevin made of me...he's a very good shooter in his own right.

Kevin looking roughneck with a pint.

A more realistic look for him.

Kevin & Shanon together.

Shanon looking pleasant and contemplative...

and more characteristically mischievous by candle light.

Mayleen and Shanon mostly by candle light.

PortCon with PWCA

2008-08-22T11:40:00.002-04:00

The PWCA and I went to PortCon Maine this year. We had fun and she got to check out all of the artwork that she aspires to create. She bought this very nice Kimono with her own money. It is one size fits all and should last her for many many years as she grows into it. We went out for sushi as Fuji in the Old Port. She posed for me at the restaurant....

Wyatt turns 1!

2008-05-31T14:27:00.002-04:00

My sister's boy Wyatt, the only baby grandSON, turned a year old on the 23rd of May.
There was a party. He seems to have had fun and enjoyed his cupcake.

Some Houses

2008-05-31T14:23:00.003-04:00

Playing with the new Nikon D60 and shooting some houses that I've always thought were unique...

This Victorian is right on the main drag in the center of No. Conway, NH. Very pretty in the spring.

This one is right near where Rt. 35 and Rt. 114 intersect in Standish. Hyper-Patriotism at its finest! (To keep with the Memorial Day theme.)

Maple in Spring

2008-05-11T13:51:00.001-04:00

The last few years I've been making photographs of the maple at the top of the hill at various turns of the seasons. This is my latest shot of it in Spring all newly budded...

26th Popham Beach Beltaine!

2008-04-27T19:05:00.002-04:00

Once again it was time to gather at Popham Beach State Park to celebrate our community (somehow) maintaining our sanity through the long dark VERY snowy winter.

This year Beltaine too was cold, windy and it rained on us and the mighty Atlantic has changed Popham Beach drastically from last year, but the 100 or so folks who showed up braved the weather, no access to Fox island, the smaller beach and eroded dunes and we all had much fun and great food anyhow.

I've a more complete photo essay of the day that you can check out by clicking on this first photo of the May Pole, but if you are bandwidth deprived, here are my four favourite photos from the day:

The larger of our two Maypoles this year (...click on this to get to the photo essay.)

Happy drummer and dancing daughter in the GROOVE!

With this third win in a row, Lestat of Clan Samhain Dell is now Thrice Fleet of Foot and Beloved of Pan.

Victorious runner of the under 13 class receives his Necklace of Honour.

SPRING!!!

2008-04-27T08:07:00.003-04:00

On the way home from the 26th Annual Beltaine Celebration at the Beach this afternoon (next post), I saw this beautiful tree in full bloom in Portland near the Whole Foods Market and had to stop and smell the flowers (and make a few photos)...

While we may still yet see some real snow (it was spitting snow at the beach with the cold rain), the blooms whispered to me that Spring has finally arrived in Maine!

Our Walks and Talks

2008-04-21T22:42:00.000-04:00

We've all been trying to walk the two miles out the road and back every day for the last few weeks while the weather is ok and the bugs aren't out bad yet. It has been fun. For Earthday we picked up all the cans and trash that somehow find their way onto our backwoods road.

We also got to go to Seanachie Night at Bull Feeny's Pub in Portland the other night to hear some tails of Celtic heritage (after a nice meal.) Seanachie are basically Irish Bards. It was well done.

Sheepfest 2008

2008-04-19T22:36:00.002-04:00

Sheepfest 2008.
It seemed late this year, but the snow has just started to leave. I've much more extensive write up of Sheepfest from years past. Enter Sheep in the search block at the top of the page to check it out.

Tracey's Gargoyles

2008-04-02T13:54:00.000-04:00

They kept her company all winter long...

Shadow Portrait

2008-04-01T22:33:00.002-04:00

I got some real wood and hide snow shoes from the Corn Shop in Bridgton. Took a walk in the very deep snow in our woods. Made this 'self portrait.'

Wol

2008-03-29T18:53:00.002-04:00

A very nice owl has greeted us lately from one of our neighbors' trees as we proceed down our increasingly muddy road to our little cabbage in the woods.

Quite often we hear the owls hooting to each other in the woods at night along with the coyotes hunting, rabbits having been caught by said coyotes, raccoons copulating, etc... but it isn't often that we get to see the owls up and about in the middle of the daylight hours.

Moon for Mom

2008-03-21T19:41:00.003-04:00

My mom emailed me this morning...Time to change your blog... check in everyday and need to see something different!

OK...Here is a photo that I took on the way in the road this evening of the Full Moon of the Vernal Equinox rising over our land on Good Friday. As an eFriend pointed out to me...that doesn't happen all that often!...

Denmark Democratic Caucus, 2008

2008-02-15T12:54:00.004-05:00

The Denmark Democrats Caucused at the town's wonderful library on the 9th of February. Obama 30, Clinton 23, Edwards 2, Gravel not even mentioned or brought up. Each of the two leading candidates will receive one of the Denmark Democrats two Delegates votes.

All in all a better turn out than the Republicans managed for a town with slightly fewer registered Democrats that Republicans. Of course, like most rural Maine towns, Denmark has more registered voters who are not affiliated with any party than we have Republicans, Greens and Democrats combined.
I was allowed to make photos before the actual voting took place. Click on the photo of Dick Hook (here making a successfully impassioned speech for Sen. Obama whose father Dick worked with abroad) to see the other photos...

I just LOVE the smell of participatory democracy and toll house cookies on a bad weather day!

My Artists

2008-02-10T13:41:00.000-05:00

Had I mentioned that I have two brilliantly artistic daughters lately?

While Nick (10) continues to astound me with her graphics ability (which is far beyond my own), Beth (9) is starting to show much promise in 3 dimensional work...

(tux the Linux penguin)

(a random chicken)

Dr. Ron Paul Visits USM

2008-01-28T14:14:00.000-05:00

Republican Presidential Candidate and Congressman Dr. Ron Paul gave a rousing speech today at the Hannaford Lecture Hall at the University of Southern Maine. To a crowd of hundreds, he espoused a nearly pure libertarian and Constitutionalist philosophy that I'm convinced our Nation is in dire need of re-acquiring at all strata, but more especially in the Executive Branch of our Federal Government. Time will tell if the American people agree with me or if they will continue to be scared into relinquishing even more of their Individual Liberty to the Corporations and Government for some small (ultimately false) sense of security.

If you'd like to see the rest of the photos I made for the campaign, just click on the thumbnail above and a new web gallery will open.

Our First Snowman of 2008

2008-01-07T15:47:00.000-05:00

We built a snowman. The grrrls started with a good base...

We added a body...

and finished with a head and the trim...

A top hat to finish the job of course...

The way that the snow is still coming in, this probably won't be our last snowperson for the season.

Yule Tree 2007

2007-12-03T13:49:00.000-05:00

Every year shortly after Thanksgiving, we head over to the Denmark Christmas Tree Plantation to let our Yule Tree choose us to take it home. Here are some shots of this year's tree...

This is the tree that wants to come home with us this year (the tall one.)

After our thanking the tree and my making a very quick cut at the base, Beth made a photo of Nick, Tracey and me carrying the tree back up the hill. (That's Pleasant Mountain in the background...Shawnee Peak Ski Resort is on the other side.)

In our living room all leveled and in its stand ready for decorating...

All decorated except the angel on top. The new LED lights are much less wasteful of electricity and much safer, but they throw a lot colder light than we are used to.

Thanksgiving 2007

2007-12-03T13:47:00.000-05:00

Not a whole lot of photojournalism at the moment, but here are some clay sculptures that the grrrls made in the spirit of Thanksgiving (and our toasty new woodstove in the background!)...

PAW: More Foliage

2007-10-26T13:28:00.000-04:00

A gorgeous maple at the top of Fessenden Hill...

(this one made it into my Blog in 2005 as well...he is one of my recurring subjects.)

A beautiful orange maple as seen in the infrared specrtum...

Panoramic Foliage

2007-10-22T20:58:00.001-04:00

All my life I've driven past these hills in Brownfield, Maine and have been very impressed with how they look in different light. I've never taken the time to stop and photograph them properly though. This morning, I woke up early and went to do just that. I used my Nikon D200 and made 13 vertical exposures of the morning light falling on the gorgeous orange canopy. This afternoon I created this panoramic photograph. the resulting image that I am going to print and mount is 12 inches high and 5 FEET long, but I've shrunk it down here to a mere 600X328 Pixels. If you are using Firefox you will be able to see it all in one shot OR pan across the entirety of it larger. Either way. I like it.

PWCAs First Hunt

2007-10-21T22:37:00.000-04:00

As previously mentioned...The PWCA got her Jr. Hunting License this year. We are having REALLY warm weather for an October, but Maine had a Jr. Hunting Day for just the kids this last Saturday so I took her out back (she with her .410 and I with my Bow)...

She did very well in much thicker brush than this. We saw no deer, but had a very successful hunt together in the warm fall afternoon. I look forward to many years of such pursuits with PWCA, her sister and their grandfather.

Starbuck's Gift

2007-10-18T10:56:00.000-04:00

So I had a 40th Birthday on the 7th of October and we had a lot of folks over to play music and enjoy the day. My mom made her world famous baked beans and teased me the week prior that I should take the PWCA out with her new Jr. Hunting license and get a partridge or two to put in the beans. As I hadn't quite finished with the wedding season yet I had no time to do so and was kind of bummed out about that because partridge melted into my mom's baked beans is one of my favourite dishes in the world (carbs be damned.) :)

So the morning of the party I go in to Bridgton to get some last minute supplies and when I return Starbuck (the large loudly purring black cat in the photo) had just killed a partridge and dropped it on the front step. He was VERY proud of the kill so I dressed it (giving him all the choice bits that cats like so much) and have the breast and legs in the freezer waiting for our Samhain feast. (It was too late to put it into mom's beans.) Just a cool coincidence...but given that this bird is almost as large as he is, he is a pretty fearless hunter...I think that I may take him deer hunting with the PWCA and I next month!
:)

More catching up...

2007-10-09T20:19:00.000-04:00

Some more photos from the later part of summer 07 in random order. I hope to get them into more detailed posts after the season ends and before album building begins...

Catching up from Summer 07

2007-10-08T12:11:00.000-04:00

OK. I'm almost done with what has been a VERY sucessful wedding season for me. I have been shooting stuff in my personal life, but haven't had a lot of time to post. Here are some (I've got more) of the images...I'll probably break them down into individual posts sometime soon...

In no particular order...

Old Photos

2007-08-09T12:02:00.000-04:00

On the way home from the Deer Isle trip a few weeks ago, Tracey and I stopped at a roadside Flea Market to look around. I found a small snack bag filled with 1.5"X2.5" snapshots from what looks like the early 1920s. They were a mix of photos of some European places (seemingly Italy) and a few from the top of the Empire State Bldg. but this photo urged me to purchase the whole bunch...

(scanned, cleaned up and dropped on black for clarity)

How many such snapshots must have been made of this Awe-some sight by tourist and Ellis Island bound immigrant alike since the Statue of the Goddess Liberty was dedicated in 1886 (a mere two years before 'The Kodak #1' gave birth to amateur photography itself)? It still never fails to inspire, even as a quickly shot snap.

Old photos have that magic about them. So often I hear folks say, "Well, my photos aren't any good. I throw most of them out." That is a shame. While professional portraits are a nice thing to have as well, I think that everyone should make (and print!*) as many photos of their every day lives as they can. More especially of the people and places that they care about. One, for their own enjoyment years down the road when those people and places may not be around any longer, and two, for posterity to enjoy and learn from those same lost people and places.

One of my favourite books of photography is the 12 volume set of Burton Holmes' Travelogues that I found in great condition at an old book shop a few years ago. Burton Holmes traveled the world with a camera in the late 1800s and early 1900s and provided a window into the rest of the world that at the time, was the only glimpse of another culture that most people would ever get. Today, these Travelogues (he coined the phrase) serve as one of the best documentary looks at a world that could not fathom global conflict (much less two of them in such short time) that would destroy so much of the natural beauty and the wondrously executed works of man that then existed with the ruthless hands of ignorance and war.

'Fine photographic art' has its place of course, but there is plenty of room in future history for snapshots as well. The moments fly by as the speed of time and if they aren't recorded, they are left only to the fading prospective memories of the few people who may have been witness to them and have been paying attention.

(*does no good to make lots of cool digital snapshots and not print them...committing an image to print gives it a chance of survival to be seen by future generations...keeping it ONLY in a temporary electronic form, almost certainly dooms it to being lost as technologies change and CDs and hard drives are corrupted with the ravages of heat, moisture and time.)

Bucksport/Deer Isle

2007-08-03T13:24:00.000-04:00

Tracey came with me to photograph a wedding on Deer Isle. We made a weekend of it and stayed a few nights in Bucksport.
I'm bored on the way up...

and then got a few photos of the new Penobscot Narrows suspension bridge...and one with Ft. Knox also the next day...

Bambi

2007-08-03T13:21:00.000-04:00

Bambi's mom jumped up out of the road and into the woods as I was driving up to our house. Bambi here, looked a bit perplexed as to what this big rumbling gold thing in the road was. Stared at me long enough for me to get my camera out and take a few photos through the windshield and then ran off in the other direction from mom...

Wierd Onion Ring

2007-08-03T13:20:00.000-04:00

No commentary. Just a cool onion ring...

The Cats

2007-08-03T13:15:00.000-04:00

(The grrrls wanted me to post photos of their cats.)

Keiko

Starbuck

Cassie

Stuck in Hogwarts Hel

2007-07-21T15:07:00.000-04:00

So the last of the Harry Potter books came out last night. While I've not been all that interested in reading them myself, my wife has began reading them to the grrrls soon after the second book came out and we've all been going to see the movies. Like any red blooded grrrls, mine are smitten with young master Radcliffe and really like the series. All manner of media frenzy has broken out over this last of the books release and MuggleFest Portland was conceived of.

While the concept of any such socially phenomenal event such as this is often brilliant, it is another thing entirely to pull it together in reality. The energy of the event was palpable, and in the long run, I suppose we can say that we are happy that we were among the 5000 people who purchased tickets, but it was a trying many hours. Here are some of the photos that I made of the event to give you some idea of what you may have missed:

The Narrow Gauge Railroad on Portland's Eastern Prom was transformed into Hogwarts Express for the afternoon.

"All Aboard!" and the train is away ...well, except for those of us who wouldn't push and shove our way to get onto the train...we gave up waiting for a second attempt at boarding and we walked down the tracks to the event...It was a pleasant walk at least.

A half a mile later we arrived and queued up to get our (sold out!) tickets punched and our green arm bands. We then adventurously entered the warehouses of The Portland Company Complex which had been converted for the day into Diagon Alley.

There were certainly many colourful characters and great costumes from volunteers to attendees:

There were shops in the 'alley' from a number of very good causes such as Habitat for Humanity and the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital and there were on hand even some commercial entities such as our favourite local Portland Purveyors of Spritual Goods...

Again, the concept, the design and all the work put into the event...and all of the awareness and money that was probably raised through the event is admirable and to be applauded, but there were 5000 tickets sold to this event and everyone wanted to stick around until midnight to get their books. Sadly, what I will remember most about MuggleFest was 10 hours of this:

No, there is nothing quite like a 10 hour experience with 5000 sweaty nylon costumed mugglespawn all near brainless sugar-high on Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Droobles, Ice Mice, Fizzing Whizbees, Cockroach Clusters, Jelly Slugs, Blood Pops, and Chocolate Frogs crushed in tightly together suffering +100° heat and high humidity in a 161 year old collapsible firetrap of a warehouse complex built to hold maybe 1000 people comfortably and safely.
Oh the joy of the shared social experiences that I get talked into forking over cash for!

4th of July 2007

2007-07-09T01:43:00.001-04:00

The fireworks were washed out on Saturday night, but were held on Sunday...Here are two shots of the grrrls enjoying them...

Denmark's Bicentenial Park

2007-07-09T01:30:00.000-04:00

Some dedicated Denmark residents have raised a lot of money to purchase a parcel of land near the town's damn to fix up and create a town park.
The park was dedicated this last 4th of July Weekend.

Denmark Bicentennial T-Shirts, buttons and posters for sale to benefit a local family who lost a member in a recent shooting in NH...

Bringing in picnic tables to seat the crowds...

A view of the new bandstand and the grounds...

The flags are raised to open the dedication...

Words of thanks are offered to the many dedicated folks in town who made this park happen and a reminder that the park and indeed our town is everyone in the town's responsibility...

A view of the pond from the shore of the new park...

Bean Supper

2007-07-09T01:16:00.000-04:00

We are blessed to live in Denmark, Maine.
Denmark turns 200 years old this year.
The town is celebrating itself all summer.

This 4th of July weekend, the Lions held their annual Bean Hole Baked Bean Supper.
Over 360 people showed up to support the Lions and all they do for our town.
Even in the rain.

There were pickles, yeast rolls, coleslaw, fatback salt pork, classic Maine red hot dogs (as well as brown hot dogs for the tourists) and lots of different deserts....

And of course, three types of delicious beans had been baked in the holes New England style...

Some folks sought refuge from the rain in the basement of the town hall.

PESO Unique Wedding Images

2007-07-03T21:07:00.000-04:00

Allison and Mike were wed at Dexter's Inn way over in Sunapee, NH. (That's all the way across NH and almost in Vermont from here!)
Now, I've shot a number of weddings at Dexter's and they always are fun, but Allison and Mike had a full 15 minute professional fireworks demonstration! This was a first in my nearly 20 years of professional wedding photography.

It was actually quite dark for a night where the moon was bright. A slow synch flash and the longer exposure that I used to get some background detail makes it look brighter than it was.

The crowd's reactions and the moon nearly full.

The reception tent glowing gold in the blue moonlight seems to be one of those images that I just love trying to perfect at any wedding that it presents itself as an opportunity.

Maine Chrsitian Civic League

2007-06-28T13:30:00.000-04:00

Though I'm a fairly political person, I really try to keep politics from creeping in to this BLOG, but I need to take a short break from photos for a moment though...

A long time friend of mine was recently attacked and slandered by the Maine Christian Civic League in their online publication 'The Record.' (They stole copyrighted photos from her site too for that matter!)

As some of you may have shown up here at my BLOG from the link on their site I would like to take this short opportunity to set The Record straight on a few things...

My friend, Rita Moran, happens to be the Chair of Maine's Kennebeck Cty Democratic Party. She also happens to own a wonderful bookstore with her husband in central Maine and they happen to be Pagan.

The hacks at the CCL find the notion that someone may be politically active in the community who doesn't happen tow the line with their own particular brand of theocracy to be completely intolerable and so in an unmitigated display of 21st Century Witchhunting, a one Michael G. Hein posted an article in The Record intimating that Rita is nefariously practicing witchcraft 'underground' and trying to somehow recruit unsuspecting Maine children into 'Pagan worship' through her bookstore and online activities.

Why would this upset me?

For the record... If you read my BLOG at all, you'll notice that I've taken no particular pains to hide the fact that I've considered myself a Panentheist Pagan for quite a few years now. While not having a huge amount of time for more active participation that a leadership role would entail, I've been fairly active in Maine's burgeoning – and certainly NOT underground - Pagan community online and occasionally have been able to attend (and host a few) public gatherings to celebrate the turning of the Seasons in our beautiful state.

While it is a general rule of thumb anyhow in Paganism, the two largest Pagan organisations in Maine, The EarthTides Pagan Network and Maine Pagan Clergy Association both have policies and standards in place that Pagans do NOT proselytize Paganism to anyone and moreover that any minor is expressly required to have written permission on record from their parent or legal guardian in order to participate in any public function by any group linked by association.

Am I just an Anti-Christian Liberal Commie?

For the record... I have NO issues at all with anyone just because they consider themselves Christian. I try my best to judge individuals based on their actions not by their beliefs. As a wedding photographer I work quite happily and respectfully with a great number and variety of Christians (and people of a lot of other religions as well). I was Baptised, raised and Married in the Methodist Church. I have several versions of the Holy Bible and refer to them quite often. As a Mainer of Gaulish/Gaelic heritage, my family is largely made up of devout French Canadian Catholics and devout Scottish Methodists for whom their faith offers great solace and shelter from the inclemencies and vicissitudes of life here on Earth. I respect these Christians for actually LIVING their faith, and firmly agree that the teachings of Jesus are perhaps one of the best plans ever devised from which to live a happy life. I simply don't have any faith however that any of the many versions of The Holy Bible is The Inerrant Word of God, nor do I believe that one must have a belief in the resurrection nor a faith that Jesus' sacrificing His blood somehow absolves me from mistakes that I may make in my life 2000 years later in order for me to follow His Way. This doesn't mean that I worship the sun, the trees, or false gods or demons, nor that I've no moral compass nor that I'm evil. It only means that some people who consider themselves Christians will never consider me 'saved.' I'd point them to Luke 10:25 and assure them that I'm going to be fine, but they only wish to pay attention to those parts of their version of the Holy Bible that they can use as a weapon against those with whom they disagree.

For the record... I am not a Democrat. I happen to be registered Republican to vote, but I am neither a Liberal nor a Conservative. Like the founding fathers of our great Constitutional Federal Republic, I'm a Libertarian and I'm very active as the Chair of in my local town government's Board of Appeals.

The CCL's slanderous article struck me as foul and against my sense of fair play and justice. I kept my passions in due bounds, but was compelled to post a comment on their site in response thusly:
-------
What is 'Underground' about Maine's Pagan Community? Most of the thousands of Pagans in Maine live our lives quite happily out in the open here. Even those of us who are registered Republicans and active in our own town's local political scenes need not hide our religion for fear of the ignorance and false judgments of our neighbors. Most Mainer's realize that in the United States, a person's religion is a matter best left between them and God.

Is it any wonder at all that with such 'upstanding and moral' people as Mike Hein acting as the 'voice' of the Maine's CCL, that this once powerful and effective organization has become a political laughingstock even amongst the Conservative Right in Augusta and about the State? I've known Ms. Moran for well over a decade, and while I disagree with her politically on a great number of fronts, she is one of the most moral people I know with ethics beyond the reproach of someone who would stoop to a modern day witchhunt in a pathetic attempt to discredit a political opponent. But then, that is likely why Mr. Hein didn't have even the support of our own party in his failed bid for public office.

Such vindictiveness doesn't reflect well on the ideals that Jesus spoke of in His teachings, nor would one think, well on the CCL.

Michael Eric Berube, photog@fairpoint.net
------

Of course, because the CCL has no real interest in honest debate, but is interested only in scare mongering to prove that the faithful are besieged by us evil doers, my response got edited down to just my first two sentences.

I had included my personal email address per instruction when posting. The site claimed that my email address would NOT be published with my response. Instead of holding to this contract, Mike G. Hein (the CCL Administrator, I've since found out) dug up my home street address, my business URL, this blog's URL, my Toll Free business number and my business and personal email addresses from my website and published it all with my edited comment. One would assume that he did so as some attempt at political/financial intimidation.

Well, that didn't work. Those of you who have met me realise that I don't live my life 'flaunting' who I am in people's faces, but I'm proud of who my parents raised me to be and I am completely at ease with letting the whole world know where I stand on any given issue if they have any real interest in knowing. Of course, Mr. Hein hopes that general public knowledge of my religious path will hurt my business. I believe that he is greatly underestimating the sense of right and wrong that the Maine people and people who wish to be married here in Northern New England hold in their hearts. I got the same assumption from a colleague or two when I included photos from same sex weddings that I've photographed into my online business portfolios. “It will cost you business to take a stand on anything political.' My response is the same in this situation as in that one...

For the record... any prospective client of mine who would wish to reconsider procuring my services to artistically document their event simply because of my religious beliefs or my willingness to photograph the events of any adults who happen to love each other and want to formally make a such declaration of that love with family and friends is someone I'd probably rather not work with anyhow. In fact, if it ever gets to the point where I needed to rely on such people in order to stay in business, I'll quit and happily flip burgers for living.

"If you stand up and be counted, from time to time you may get yourself knocked down. But remember this: Someone flattened by an opponent can get up again. Someone flattened by conformity stays down for good."
~ Thomas J. Watson, Jr.

As of this afternoon (28JUN07) the CCL has removed all of the nearly 80 comments on this article from their site so this note may seem out of place. My apologies, but I hate being censored and really I wanted to set The Record straight.

Thank you for hearing me out on this matter. I'll now return you to hopefully enjoying my photographic documentation of a life in the wild wooded hills of Western Maine.

PESO 2007 Surfing, Buck, Retinette

2007-06-21T10:30:00.000-04:00

We took a trip to Old Orchard Beach on Monday. The grrrls got some 'surfing' in next to the pier.

Just a nice shot of Starbuck that I made with the Rollei.

In anticipation of sending my 1950s era Kodak Retinette 022 to New Zealand for a shutter overhaul, I pulled the roll of Fuji NPS out of it that has been there for over a year. I found this shot to be my favourite. (Made the same day that I made THESE with my point and shoot digital.) The Kodak was my very first camera. It was given to me by my Uncle Parko to take on a month long hiking trip to the American Rockies and Badlands in 1984. That trip and the photos that I made with that scale focus, fully manual camera (using the exposure guide printed on the film boxes) led to photography becoming my avocation and eventually my vocation. The camera deserves to be put back into perfect working order and to be used.

B-Day 62

2007-06-12T23:01:00.000-04:00

My dad celebrated his 62nd birthday today.
We had a small family party at my sister's on Sunday. I took the Rolleiflex and made some pictures with it using Fuji NPH.
Here are my three favourites...

Pepere and his new grandson Wyatt.

Nana still has that touch to make crying babies sleep.

Blowing out 62 candles!

More FILM photos!

2007-06-09T10:43:00.000-04:00

Assorted shots with the new Leica IIIf red dial and Summarit 50/1.5. All of these with Kodak 400UC film...(The last two are from the last roll that I put through the IIIc, those were using the same lens that now lives on the IIIf, but shot on Kodak B400CN chromogenic.)

My beloved with (my) pint of Guinness while we wait for our Full Irish Breakfasts to arrive at RiRa's Pub in Portland. Seemingly, the Summarit is extremely prone to flare. I've done what I can for this in PhotoShop and I'll look for a hood, but if I'm going to use it for high contrast scenes with backlit highlights like this I'm not sure it will help.

You can almost make out my reflection (well, my Tilley hat and my camera) in the foreground of this shot from a basement shop on Rt. 302.

This is a little better self portrait using a nice antique mirror in one of the shops in Naples. Tracey and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary on the 30th of May and we got a few days alone that we lazed away casually shopping and dining in our own corner of Vacationland.

There really was too little light to do this properly, but hand held at 1/20 wide open, I kind of liked the softness of the photo of these Canadian geese on Woods Pond.

I've always loved this greenhouse that is roadside on the way up Tearcap in Hiram. It is now falling into disrepair with wild trees growing up inside. Having the Leica with me all the time now gives me a good excuse to stop and photograph it. I want to get a shot of it sometime when the fog is in too, but this was a decent first shot.

Beth, with a snack, studying online.

Traps for Lobsters (and tourists) next to the world famous "Reds" hotdog stand in Wiscasett, ME.

Adventures with the Rollei

2007-06-09T10:12:00.000-04:00

My good friend Kevin recently traded me his old Rolleiflex for one of my old Leicas. He came over this past week and we ranged the land (donating a goodly share of blood to the mosquitoes and acting as public transport for far too many ticks) in search for interesting subjects to photograph. He with his new 1949 Leica IIIc and I with my new 1954 Rolleiflex MX-EVS. (I had 100G Kodak Chrome film in my rig...Kevin was shooting Tri-X, I believe.)

A soft old stump down on the back acreage.

The remainder of this last winter's wood stacked up near our carriage shed (center) and the garage (left). We plan to re-roof, re-sheath and rebuild this 220 or so year old timber-framed garage into my new office someday in the next year or three.

Kevin photographing an abandoned egg we found on an old logging road in the woods.

Homeschool Fieldtrip - Land End

2007-05-31T09:48:00.001-04:00

Took the family for a sunset drive up the coast to Lands End on Bailey island. It is a most beautiful drive, especially at the golden hours surrounding dawn or sunset.

My baby sister has new baby!

2007-05-31T09:42:00.000-04:00

Wyatt Fairfield Bérubé Gray (with his mom Angela, his dad Craig and his big sister Charlotte.)
Born: 23MAY07

First IIIf shots

2007-05-31T09:36:00.000-04:00

A photo of the PWCA with my new (55 year old) Leica IIIf and a similar era Summarit 50/1.5. This was shot wide open (1.5) on 160 ISO Fuji NPS handheld, available darkness at about 1/50 second. NPS is a very soft portrait colour film anyhow and the Summarit is a characteristically very low contrast lens also so I quad-toned the image and added just a little snap in Photoshop.

New Editions

2007-05-31T09:02:00.001-04:00

I have recently added a 1952 Leica IIIf Red Dial to my 'just for fun' cameras as well as trading my venerable old IIIc to my dear friend Kevin for his rarely used 1954 Rolleiflex MV-EVS with the Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 75/3.5 lens!

I hope to mostly use these for my BLOG photos in the near future. The point and shoot Canon is nice because it is so small, but there is a definite glee in using film for fun in cameras that are over half a century old and made so well.

Homeschool Field Trip - Boston

2007-05-31T08:28:00.001-04:00

We hadn't been anywhere for educational purposes recently, so we took some of my last 'free time' left before the wedding season hits and went to Boston on the DownEaster train.

This is a great way to travel if you live in southern Maine, want to go to Boston for the day and don't want the hassle of driving to Boston, navigating the streets, dealing with traffic and trying find a parking $pot.

There is an on-board cafe and a nice dining car where the kids can snack or draw to bide the ride...

Once in Boston, we went to that birthplace of Revolutionary unrest: Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market...

We ate lunch at the Green Dragon Tavern (the 'Headquarters of the American Revolution"...and just coincidentally the upstairs was my brother Freemasons met at lodge in the Revolutionary period!)

We shopped some more at the Prudential Center Mall and went to the Aquarium. The Aquarium was the biggest hit with the kids of course.

My two favourite photos from the day:

25th Annual Beltaine at Popham Beach

2007-04-30T17:55:00.000-04:00

The last few years I've been lucky not to have booked events on the same day as the Beltaine celebrations at Popham Beach State Park. I posted a complete write up on what it is all about in 2005 and some photos last year. Both previous posts may be found HERE.

Here are my favourites from this year which was the silver anniversary of this celebration:

(Grove of 4 ver.2.0 playing in the sand.)

(An artistic view of a lone beach walker.)

(Jumping the Broom and getting Wed. A Beltaine Handfasting!)

The Worst of the Flood Photos

2007-04-30T17:54:00.000-04:00

The water hit this culvert so hard that it lifted it out of the road.

The Deluge of '07

2007-04-16T13:39:00.000-04:00

Dateline: 16APR07...Denmark, ME.
This Nor'easter was supposed to dump over a foot of snow on us last night and all today. It turned over to rain early evening on Sunday and has caused substantial flood damage to many of the roads here in Denmark (though unlike much of Maine, we still have electricity.) The town has asked me to go out and document the damages to our roads and streets. I'm waiting for one of the town's trucks to pick me up, because I'm pretty sure that my little Kia Rio (above) will sink if I tray to take it out the mile long dirt road that connects us to civilisation. (or what is left of it.)

I'll post more photos if they are dramatic at all.

Eternal Fallout

2007-03-30T23:43:00.000-04:00

My friend Steve's son Cory (in blue above) sings for a death metal band called Eternal Fallout. They played at Cranarchy 2007 on Mt. Cranmore in No. Conway, NH last weekend. They hired me to shoot some band promo shots for them on the mountain as borders were thrashing past. My ears are still ringing, but I don't know if it is from the climb up the ski slope with my gear or from the amps cranked. They are looking for a bass player, but I think I'll stick with blues and bluegrass!

Moon at dusk.

2007-03-30T23:27:00.000-04:00

I got out the Leica IIIc and Summarit 50/1.5 a while ago and put a roll of 800 Agfa Vista in it. This was from that roll from last fall I believe. (This is why I mostly shoot digital now...I just finally got this roll processed!)

Not A Grumpy Boss

2007-03-30T23:22:00.000-04:00

Some of you know that I work two days a week at the Photo Market in Portland through the off season. (The discount, the networking and being able to be the first to check out new gear makes working retail almost worth it.) This is the owner...In one of my first PAWs way back in 2001 I took a shot of him being silly and called it 'grumpy boss' and it got a huge response. That was funny, but this is a much better shot.

Rave reviews of my show!

2007-03-30T23:14:00.000-04:00

In the Bridgton News, 22MAR07:
“Portraits of Main Street”, photographs by Michael Eric Bérubé

An “eye”, the intuitive ability to see something from a unique perspective then capture that on film, is what makes a photographer, especially a portrait photographer. Whether journalistic or commercial photography, art shots or “happy snaps” from the last vacation, great images are the result of the talent behind the camera far more than any high tech equipment or snazzy computer manipulation. *Michael Eric Bérubé, a freelance photographer from Denmark, Maine, has this natural talent and demonstrates it in the ten images currently on view in the exhibition space at EFG Books, 186 Main Street, Bridgton.

Bérubé makes his living primarily shooting weddings, family reunions and other private events, but for this show he was inspired by the ongoing revitalization of downtown Bridgton to photograph some of the people associated with businesses on Main Street. They will be familiar to anyone who shops in town but his camera captures them in a different light.

The pictures are shot in color but printed in black and white, which automatically casts them in a slightly atypical hue. They are floated on glass and surrounded by black frames for a simple and elegant presentation. Although Michael claims these images are not the “angst ridden art shots of broken toys and empty buildings” he once produced earlier in his career, they are also not the snapshots one generally expects to see in newspapers, magazines, or other mass media. The lenses and unconventional angles he chooses allow us to see familiar faces and places in a new and refreshing way. He seems to have the ability to present the best in people, probably because that is how he views the world.

The exhibition reopens March 28th and continues through May 6th and can be visited during store opening hours. For further information call EFG Books at 647-9339 or check out Michael’s website at www.GoodPhotos.com

How cool is that! (Of course the headshot of me that accompanied the review makes me look catatonic, but the way kind words make up for that.)

Tulips

2007-03-30T23:10:00.000-04:00

Some tulips that Tracey had on the table last week while the snows were falling heavy again.

An Art Show - Portraits of Main St.

2007-03-12T23:26:00.000-04:00

Please click the photo above to check out the art show that I've got on display at EFG Bookstore and Gallery in Bridgton, ME until the 6th of May! We had a pretty decent turn out for the Opening on Friday the 9th at the Bookstore/Gallery.

Through most of February I had a few great corporate/advertising photo jobs and I was updating my business site with more recent images and a new colour scheme, booking weddings for the coming year, being interviewed about my wedding work for an upcoming issue of Lakes Living Magazine and for the last few weeks, I've been mostly working on this show. I've got a few non-work related photos that I've taken beyond all of this and will get to posting them soon.

PAW 2007 - Wk#4

2007-02-02T23:35:00.000-05:00

It snowed hard on the evening of Imbolc.
The roads were bad.
I made it home anyhow.

PAW 2007 - Wk# 3

2007-02-02T23:33:00.000-05:00

Hungry Squirrel

PAW 2007 - Wk# 2

2007-02-02T23:32:00.000-05:00

An Ugly Shopper

PAW 2007 - Wk# 1

2007-02-02T23:31:00.000-05:00

The Joy of Music.

PAW catchup 2006

2007-01-01T13:32:00.000-05:00

I got very busy with the holidays and creating Fine Art custom albums for clients like this one HERE so I had to let the PAW photos pile up on my PC until I had a moment to post them. If I get to it, I'll break these down into individual posts, but if not here they all are with Haiku.

tall trees impress me.
these are taller than most are
in the woods I hunt

a shadow portrait
honourably seeking meat
to feed the family

quite a feast to see
all this food laid out nicely
how thankful are we!

A Christmas Carriage
in the Bridgton Yule Parade
It was a chill night.

My mom turned 60
everyone she knows showed up
a joyous surprise!

mugging the camera
big toothy grins all for show
these are my daughters.

chopsticks to eat with
good thing we have silverware
they'd starve using these!

Yuletide ritual
we five gathered on a hill
to remember Light.

a yurt Yule party
the Grove with our families
we had a good time.

Santa Came last night.
They were patient and waited
for their dad's photo.

PAW 2006 - Wk#43 AnotherDeer

2006-10-29T16:18:00.000-05:00

deer in our front yard
are not an uncommon sight
we live in their woods

Of course hunting season is about to begin...somehow they realise this and will make themselves scarce until deep winter.

PAW 2006 - Wk#42 Gratuitous Foliage Photos

2006-10-29T16:06:00.000-05:00

Peak hit so quickly
I nearly missed all the leaves
that would have been sad.

These are all from within 5 miles of our home.

PAW 2006 - Wk#41 Fryeburg Fair

2006-10-29T16:00:00.000-05:00

masses of people
fattening treats everywhere
it smells like heaven.

Standard Bred Sulky racing has been a mainstay of the Fair for most of its history.

PAW 2006 - Wk#40 - Fall Fungi

2006-09-25T13:39:00.000-04:00

Baxter Woods trailside
Fall Fungi delights the eye
Temporary joy!

PAW 2006 - Wk #39 - Two Lights

2006-09-18T23:38:00.000-04:00

We now interupt the regularly scheduled BLOG for a typical cliche Maine image...

Now that that is out of the system, we can now return you to your regularly scheduled BLOG exploring the lives of a typical Western Maine family as they also head to the coast to enjoy one of the last nice Summer days...

We went to Two Lights in Cape Elizabeth. We didn't go to the State Park, but rather had lunch at the Lobster Shack at the end of Two Lights Rd. and then explored the rocks and the periwinkles and crabs down below the Two Lights that gave name to the State Park.

If I had had a teacher like this when I was in school, I think I'd have had much more fun and got much better marques! (Yes, my kids know that I have the hots for their teacher...even after almost 20 years of marriage.)

home education
often means leaving one's home
to explore the world

Learning opportunities never end for a homeschooling family...Tracey is really great with the Earth Sciences especially when we can get hands on and do some field work with the grrrls.

While not part of our class activites this MECCA student was working with a nice 4X5 view camera down on the beach below one of the Two Lights for an upcoming assignment...

PAW 2006 - Wk#38 - Jockey Cap

2006-09-18T23:26:00.000-04:00

we climbed jockey cap
the hill overlooks Fryeburg
only a short walk

Late summer is the time that we really like to get out and enjoy Maine. The weather is perfect for outdoor activities and we need the exercise. These are views from the top of Jockey Cap a small hill (barely a 1/4 mile walk to the top) that gets you up overlooking the valley wherein lies Fryeburg, Maine and the mighty Saco river. The horizontal shot here is looking across the valley out to the White Mountain National Forests and the Presidential Range. Mt. Washington is in the middle of this shot. In another month Mt. Washington will be covered with bright white snow at the top and will stay that way for most of the following 12 months. It seems only in late Summer that it is all green.

PAW 2006 - Wk#37 - Another Rainbow

2006-09-10T22:00:00.000-04:00

a very dark storm
ended in a bright rainbow
fear subdued by light

We drove throught the terrific thunder storm all the way home from the wedding and when we crested the hill, the brilliant stormlight of the setting sun hit the cloud vapours just right to produce this wonder in the field on Fessenden Hill. We are entering that time of year when the light is most conducive to great photography in Maine.

PAW 2006 - Wk# 36 - Guardian

2006-09-10T16:04:00.000-04:00

at the windows edge
our guardian spins and waits.
her web will work well

Huge barn spiders have taken up living in the deep overhanging eaves of our roof. This one lives just outside of the kitchen window where I made this photo just after dusk. We like them there becuase they tend to keep the more prone to biting bug population down a bit. (or rather a bite as it were!)

A Beth Photo of Me

2006-09-08T17:18:00.000-04:00

I know this is my PhotoBlog, but my youngest grrrl keeps amazing me with her photography as much as my eldest impresses me with her drawing. Until we set her up with her own Blog, I'll share these here for the grandparents as well. (What can I say, I'm a dad who is proud of his grrrls.) We hiked up to the top of Jockey Cap today in Fryeburg. Beth took this portrait of me in my sage survival Utilikilt while I was shooting with an ancient Ziess Ikon 6X9. I like this one so much, I'm updating my Blog avatar with it.

PAW 2006 - Wk#35 - Royal Enfield

2006-09-04T16:25:00.000-04:00

A hot summer day
Phil, Maylene and the Enfield
out behind the barn.

PAW 2006 - Wk #34 - Dr. Ralph Stanley

2006-08-14T12:59:00.000-04:00

My dad and I scored tickets to see Dr. Ralph Stanley at Carol Noonan's newly opened Stone Mountain Arts Center (SMAC) which is in Brownfield, just down the road from my hometown of Denmark.

Last night's show was the first major act that has shown at SMAC and it sold out pretty quickly. I think Ms. Noonan has a sucessful venue on her hands.

All societies need beautiful places to foster art and performance, more especially rural societies where community tends to play such an important role in people's lives, but SMAC will also be a venue for weddings in the area (which is sorely in need of quality wedding venues.) I welcome the possibility of lessening my own carbon footprint (especially at $3.10/Gal!) and to maybe once in a while not have to travel so many hours each week just to work my own craft.

SMAC is a lovely timberframed entertainment facility situated deep in the forested hills of small town Western Maine. One of the charms of our region of Vacationland is that it is no more than an hour from the Atlantic, no more than an hour from the greatest contiguous alpine area in the United States east of the Mississippi, but still wonderfully located in relative seclusion of wooded hills and lakes! Don't let anyone know that though. We've got enough folks here to enjoy it all already.
:)

PAW 2006 - Wk #33 - Burnt Meadow Mountains

2006-08-14T12:54:00.000-04:00

No Haiku on this one at the moment. Just thought it was a great scene. These last five weeks of Summer are always my favourite of the season. We are headed into Fall -which is my favourite season- the light is fantastic, the weather is perfect and the bugs have subsided enough for us to really enjoy the warm days and cooler nights.