Photographing Lighthouses in Maine

Mary and I spent eight days in Maine in mid-October and caught the Fall color near peak and before a big storm blew in on October 30.  We did not photograph every lighthouse in Maine, but we made a good run at the ones between Portland and Acadia.  Here they are:

There are over 50 lighthouses in Maine along a jagged coast that runs strangely in every direction because of all of the peninsulas and bays.  We covered many of them around Portland, Camden, and Acadia.

The lighthouse most fun to photograph was the Pemaquid Light.  As you approach it, it is pretty enough.  However, the iconic shot is below it on the beach side shooting up using the rock as foreground.  We had a boring sky that day, but spent a good 90 minutes here walking around and getting all of the angles.

The most boring lighthouse to photograph was Owl’s Head.  There’s really only one good shot up the stairs.  There is little room to maneuver and you can not get a good view of it from above or below.  Mary did a few abstracts, but we only spent a few minutes here before moving on.

Marshall Point Lighthouse is a beautiful spot with a great keeper’s house.  The lighthouse ramp was made famous as the eastern terminus of Forrest Gump’s cross country runs.  We had a great time here.

Here is Mary making this photo.  Get low and use shallow depth of field.

Bass Harbor Head light may be the most photographed lighthouse in Maine as it is in Acadia National park and perched on a picturesque cliff.  Warning – this is a very popular spot and you can expect 50 plus photographers and more people crowding here at sunrise and, especially sunset (see our blog on combat photography).  The issue here is that the best position to make a good composition is on the edge of the sea with only a few good spots.  We photographed it in the late morning with ease.

Finally, we made our way to the Portland Head light.  There is an obvious area to stand just south of the light with a little cove in the foreground.  Braver souls can jump the short fence and make your way out to the rocky beach (I did).

More from our Maine trip next week.  To see more of (and buy) our photos, please go to www.pamphotography.com.