The Daily Joe

  Sunset over the tidal pools  This show was supposed to be a vignette of this photo shoot during our workshop, that evening. It was to show a more local view of what our scene was. I thought it did nicely.  The sunset, the bay in the distance, and the blue sky reflecting in the tidal pools

  Sunrise through the pines over the bay   On our photo workshop in Maine, mornings were VERY early.  On one of those mornings, we had followed our host to a parking lot. This was the view that greeted us from the parking lot. It boded well for the rest of the day and workshop.

  Sunset sky while walking on Shore Path   This view was taken on my last "vacation" night before our photo workshop. I have always loved Bar Harbor.  The views are spectacular and, to me, just right. Shore Path has so many views of the harbor, it never fails to provide.

  Moon reflecting at Eagle Lake On a VERY early morning on the first day of our photo workshop, we were on site before the dawn. We looked around (as best we could in the dark) and found what we thought was a good spot.  I found this niche with the lake and the moon reflecting.  After some editing, I thought it came out well.

  Pastel sky just before dawn on Acadia At our photo workshop, we had to get up at ungodly hours to be onsite to catch beautiful sunrises and dawn skies. This sky was one of them - the pastel reflections of the predawn sky were amazing as the cliffs slowly changed from shadow black to lighter shades.

  Early morning at the lagoon on Mt. Desert Our workshop leader took us to Sand Beach on Mt. Desert Island. The beach was a great place for photos but the tall grass, the mountain, and the lagoon gave me more of a "back to nature" feel than the beach. Both were good, though.

  An owl from the woods of Acadia I had been so focused on the landscape photography that I really didn't listen to the next destination. One of the group leaders had been missing for a bit and we were starting to trek into the woods. Suddenly everyone got quiet and people pointed upwards.  Now, I'm not a birder and my eyes aren't that good - but when the "missing" leader pointed up and showed me - this immature owl came into view. We spent at least 30 minutes shooting photos while he and a buddy were nearby - what an opportunity.

  Soaring over the bay   Again, while out driving around, near Lubec, Maine, we found a spot where some folks were in their kayaks at the very mouth of the bay. A few seagulls were flying over and I decided to try to track one as it flew. It was just soaring on the sea breeze. So carefree.

  Wildflowers beside the bay While driving around in o0ur spare time in and arournd Lubec, Maine, we drove down some country roads which reminded us that this area is not densely populated.  These wildflowers were along the edge of the road by the bay.  We just stopped and I took a few photos to capture the beauty and solitude.

Foggy morning at West Quoddy Head When our group visited Lubec, the leader decided to go out to West Quoddy Head light in the morning.  With the fog, there was no option to catch sunrise, but we did surely catch the crashing waves.  This, to me, is the "real" Maine.

Dark and foggy night at West Quoddy Lighthouse Our photo workshop leader told us that we were going out to this lighthouse.  It WAS a dark, rainy night and, as happens frequently in Maine, it was foggy.  I'm not sure anyone was thrilled with the prospect - but the results were pretty cool.

  Sunset over Johnson Bay (Lubec, ME) Our photo workshop came to an end yesterday.  I made new friends and learned a great deal. I met some people who have knowledge that I don't have, viewpoints that were new to me, and came to realize that we all have our struggles. I took many great photos and you will likely be seeing them for awhile.  I don't like to post more than one per day, 

  PUFFINS! Our photo workshop group got to see the puffins up close and personal on Grand Manan Island. So cool! The trip was very regimented and had many rules, but we were escorted into "blinds" where we were literally 3 feet from the Puffins (along with some other species). We were in these blinds and able to photograph for over an hour. It was an awesome experience! 

  Just before dark at Otter Point Our little group went to Otter Point to see the sunset.  After many shots, I saw this one with the sky's colors reflecting in the tide pool in the rocks. This is quintessential Acadia. If you can ever visit, you should not miss it.  We are off to an even more northern port to try to photograph Puffins. Hopefully, you'll see some shots later.

  Dawn breaking at Boulder Beach on Acadia We have been meeting at 4:00am each morning to try to grab photos of sunrises (and then later for sunsets).  Yesterday, we had clouds, but colors were abundant. We actually did not see the sun rise off the horizon but the clouds and colors made up for it.  It was a gorgeous morning.

Foggy start to the Day at Eagle Lake We got a VERY early start at my photo workshop.  We tried to go to Cadillac Mountain but it was all fogged in.  Our host then lead us to Eagle Lake.  There were many photos but this one was cropped and edited with the host and I think it was a great moody shot.  Our workshop is great so far - more to come.

Boat at sunset in Bar Harbor, Maine Sunsets on vacation are always a treat.  Sunsets on vacation in Bar Harbor, Maine are beyond a treat to a wonder. The clouds, the ocean, the colors in the sky - it just all mixes to give me a warm feeling - a perfect ending to the day.

  The Bubbles seen from Jordan Pond We decided to work our way around the "Park Loop Road" in Acadia National Park yesterday.  One iconic stop is Jordan Pond.  Many like to Jordan Pond House for pop-overs - I just like the view and the trails.  This shot of the "Bubbles" was from the Jordan Pond Trail.  I've never made it all the way around, but the views are outstanding.  I love the way the trees frame the granite mountains.

  Boats waiting to go into the ocean on Deer Isle We went out driving again to Deer Isle to see a museum that we hadn't seen yesterday.  As usual on vacations, we stopped at many pull-offs to take photos. At this one, there was a path down to the water and we walked down.  At the bottom, we found two boats (a canoe and a kayak) with no one around. It was so peaceful and quiet at that spot. This is the best shot of the day.

Sunset in Acadia through the pines The first day on Acadia, we shopped and took a cruise out to Isle-Au-Haut but could not get the time to get off and walk around (next time, for sure) . Took lots of photos, but at the end of the day, when we were coming back to our apartment, this view is what caught my eye. To me, this is Acadia.

  Finally made it. Moonrise over the pines in Acadia National Park. On the drive onto Mt. Desert Island (which contains Acadia National Park), I saw this scene and I thought of Ansel Adams' Moonrise over Hernandez.  Now, I'm no Ansel Adams, but I love that photo and what a way to start my vacation!

  Quiet evening in Vermont This scene was in the backyard of the Bed and Breakfast we stayed in, in Bellows Falls, Vermont.  On the other side of the gazebo was a pond. Earlier in the week, we were told there was a loon there.  It was so nice and peaceful. A great start to our vacation.

  Walk along Shore Path in Bar Hatbor. I’ll be back there tomorrow!! A lovely day, years ago, on the Shore Path in Bar Harbor, Maine.  I love the location and I love vacationing here.  It was begun by my trip with my Dad and continues now. We leave for vacation today and this is our destination. I can't wait to get there and capture more beauty!

  Simple summer sunset Out driving - I spied the coming sunset but thought the clouds would hide the sun.  We drove over a rise and between the trees, I I could just make out the sun at the last minute.  I had to capture it. We leave for vacation tomorrow and hope to have a very relaxing time and get some great memories and photos.

  Tree against the afternoon storm This scene was, admittedly, created by myself.  Each part is real, but each part was bland, so I combined images to create one which conveyed the "spirit" of what I saw.  We were skirting a summer storm in the afternoon and I took this from a moving car.  The lone tree makes the scene more dramatic, in my opinion.

  Weeping Willow in infrared While out this past weekend, I decided to try out some filters I had salted away during my film days. One of them was an infrared filter.  I had to fool around for quite a bit to get things to work well in digital, but I thought this one came out OK. I'll be doing more "messing about" with it in the future.

  Purple coneflower in the sunshine  In the warmth of the sun, yesterday, I noticed that the purple cone-flowers were popping out all over.  I decided to try out a wide-aperture lens to see if I could isolate one or two flowers among the plethora of flowers. I think it came out well and it goes nicely with the quote of  the day, too!

  Happy Independence Day!  Here in  the USA, today is Independence Day.  To be clear, I'm happy I live here. This is a country that has given me many opportunities to excel and succeed. However, not everyone has had the same experience. I can do my best to empathize with them and do my best to understand.  It is unfortunate that we are now so polarized that we have lost the ability to respect each other's differences. My wish, this day, is for us to become more understanding and respectful, so that our independence will be more profound.

    Train tracks through farm country Yesterday, we celebrated our daughter-in-laws birthday with a road trip into what we know as "Amish Country". Where there are many farms, farm markets, and wide open spaces.  While we were at a farm/flea market, I saw these railroad tracks (still active) reaching into the distant farms. I decided to try a black-and-white image and I think it came out quite nice.

  Horses grazing in the afternoon sunlight While on a  walk last evening, I was talking to my youngest about the pending storms that were to come through.  She noted the large group of horses in the pasture. The sun came through for a few minutes so I decided to grab a few photos of some of those horses in the afternoon sun. You can see the storm clouds were around, though.

  Warm day down at the creek A quiet warm walk along the flowing creek can allow you to just let the negative thoughts go.  You can forget the troubles of the day and absorb the sunshine. This was such a day.