STL DPB IN ACADIA

Acadia is the name used for a swath of the State of Maine from the Kenebec River and the town of Bath and then northeast from where I'm staying up into what are now the Canadian maritime provinces. The area was intensely disputed between the English and French in the 17th and 18th Centuries. The population is thin when you get much back from the coast. The region is marked by water, wood, rock and fishing. It is gorgeous at this time of year but the winters are hard. This is a little waterfall that flows into the harbor at Camden, just up the road from camera camp.

Today is our last day. There is a traditional Friday night lobster dinner and a spectacular AV show of the students' work from the week.      

STL DPB AT SEA - ON THE SCHOONER APPLEDORE 2

Free day yesterday. I decided to take a two hour excursion on the schooner Appledore 2. (No relation to Dumbledore, I presume.) It left Camden harbor with its crew of three for a tour around the neighboring islands and the edge of the open ocean. This picture was taken while motor powered as we were heading out and not yet under sail. By the way, the crew was just terrific.

My course this week is about composition in photography. Our teacher asked us to read his book on the subject and I tried to incorporate some of his principles. Now down to work.       

STL DPB ON THE ROAD - MOONRISE, CAMDEN, MAINE

One of the many reasons I come here. Free day today. Wonder what I'll do.              

The Perils Of Photography School

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As mentioned, some more stuff from Maine until I get new local material. Actually, these are photos others took of me last week.

I was disoriented at the beginning of the workshop. Days of sleep deficit and way too much new technical info to absorb. Our teaching assistant took the picture above on the central street of Camden, Maine, in imminent danger of being run over. Photographers better pay attention to more than their exposure or the f may stop then and there.

Below, me fascinated with a beer bottle. The beer brand was Andrew, my son's name, and it was made right there in Nobleboro, Maine. Below, a picture of me on the pier in the town of Belfast. It was taken by Pierre, a photographer from Montreal, who was out shooting at the same location. He took my picture, I took his.

Camera Camp Day 2

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This place is like a forced labor camp we cheerfully sign up for. I'm exhausted. Our teacher, David Wells, is brilliant. Check out his excellent (and free!) podcast tutorials here.

He's got photographic intuition that's like driving a car - he just knows where to go and what to push. I don't agree with him on everything (and I shouldn't). The top photo didn't even make the first cut of his review of my assignments and it's my absolute favorite. De gustibus non est disputandum. By the way, that's him just below, trying to give us some material for a light-shadow exercise.

I need to sleep.