Schoodic Point, Acadia National Park, ME

  It had been a long drive, around ten hours, and it began around 2 in the morning. We were both feeling the effects of the early start when we finally turned off of 186 and onto Moore Rd. Almost immediately, the fatigue disappeared as the rocky Maine coast came into view. It was overcast, with occasional rain, and the surf was active with consistent large swells driving into the granite that lines much of Maine and Acadia National Park. Driving up, this is what I had envisioned; fog, rain, heavy surf and rough seas that have caused countless maritime disasters. Upon arrival, I was both pleased and awed by what I saw. Indeed, what I envisioned was before me, however, the magnitude quickly surpassed my imagination.

  The jagged coastline was enormous, with beautiful pink granite interacting with the ocean creating spray and ocean mist incessantly all while causing a dull roar. The energy, both witnessed with the action of the ocean and granite as well as felt internally was unbelievable, one of those rarely felt moments where you are humbled by the size and significance of everything around you; when you realize you are just living in a world that is far larger and more powerful than you once knew.

  We made our way down the coast, stopping every couple hundred feet to take in the scene, as it changed with each bend in the coast. We eventually arrived at Schoodic Point, a southern tip of the park, which meets the Atlantic Ocean head on. The surf here was the most active and it created a real sight to see. I grabbed all of my camera gear and headed out on the granite. The rain had ceased now, however, the fog continued to close in creating a light mist in the air and giving all of the rocks a slick coating. I surveyed the area and eventually settled on the spot where I composed and made this photograph. It took some time for the right moment to emerge as people would wander in and out of the right corner of the frame. Finally, all was clear and I waited until I saw a large swell coming through, releasing the shutter right when it made its impact. I waited and exposed one more frame with the next swell coming through, just as a precaution, however, it was never needed.

   Feeling satisfied, I packed up and headed off of the location I was standing in. I hadn’t realized how close to the edge of the granite I was when I was looking at the scene. Only when leaving, I noticed that I was very close where the waves met the coast. Almost as quickly as that realization came to me, a larger than normal wave came through, breaking and washing over with great force the exact spot I had been standing at when I made the photograph! I had hoped Cortney hadn’t seen that, as I was sure I would be lectured for being so close and almost getting washed out to sea (and rightfully so). No such luck, she had seen it all, and I was reminded of where the wave broke in relation to where I was standing.

  This photograph and two others will be part of a NJ statewide juried show at the Ocean County Artist Guild in Island Heights. The opening is this Sunday from 1-4. If you have free time, come out and see some of the beautiful artwork that is part of this show. The internet does not do justice to photographic prints! This print, and the two others are large, 16x24 prints mounted and matted in a 24x30 frame. I also was invited to participate in a show beginning next Thursday in NYC, my first NYC show. I will announce details on that with next weeks blog. I hope everyone has a good week and maybe I’ll get to meet some of you Sunday!