Call of the Sea

Altantic Dawn, Portland Head Light, Cape Elizabeth, Maine

Last weekend Sue and I traveled over to Portsmouth New Hampshire to set up an exhibition of my photographs at the Works Bakery Cafe. Showing my work on the seacoast gives me a chance to focus primarily on my Atlantic coast images. Although I am now thoroughly land-locked, I grew up along the North Shore of Massachusetts and spent my summers in Gloucester. Each year I had the opportunity to cruise the New England coast from Acadia to the Elizabeth Islands and I have never lost my attraction to the sea. Despite looking for every excuse, I don't get back to the ocean as often as I would like.

Hauled Up, Peggy's Cove Nova Scotia

In recent years, I have chosen to focus my photography close to home, on the classic New England landscapes of the Monadnock region and southern Vermont. A number of factors have led to this intentional focus. First, our region has an abundance of wonderful farms, forests and streams, and although our mountain are not as starkly spectacular as in other parts of the Northeast, they have a soft, approachable quality that is the perfect manifestation of classic rolling New England country-side. It is for good reason that the Monadnock region is called the Currier and Ives corner of New Hampshire. I also believe I can do my best work exploring familiar , nearby, areas. I have come to know many of the best locations and I've learned when to show up to get the best light. I must admit, however, that the fact that I can sleep later before getting up for a sunrise is another important part of the equation.

Marshall Point Light, Maine

For all of the attractions close to home, the one thing that I have missed the most since settling here is the ocean. Photography by the sea provides fresh opportunities and challenges that always seem to recharge my batteries. I feel a special connection to my seacoast images, but I have always felt somewhat apologetic about showing them locally. Around here, if a picture doesn't have Mt. Monadnock in the background, people start asking "why bother" - believe me, I've tried. A couple of years ago I had a chance to display some of my Atlantic coast images in Portland Maine and now I'm thrilled to have another shot in Portsmouth. The pictures range from Nubble Light on Cape Neddick to Peggy's Cove in Nova Scotia and they are a nice fit for this old seacoast town. This is a fairly long exhibition including May, June and July, 2011. The Works is right on the central square in downtown Portsmouth, so come by, check out the images and have coffee and a bagel.  

You can preview the pictures in my show set at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27036710@N05/sets/72157626536254407/


A larger collection of my Atlantic Coast images is at:http://www.flickr.com/photos/27036710@N05/sets/72157605282223574/