I spent the afternoon yesterday on the road, shooting photos, then met up with my Flickr friend, Vicki, for a sunset shoot on the beach. It was wonderful! We hit Old Orchard, took many shots under and around the Pier, then went to Scarborough Beach in Pine Point and caught the sunset there. I got my feet soaked (my shoes are still drying!), and by the end of the shoot, my fingers were freezing, but the experience was worth it. Now that I've seen the beach at sunset, you can bet I'll go back again, although it might not be until we see warmer weather.
Sometimes in photography (as well as in life), it's the strange things that appeal to me. In this case, it was the trees and that utility tower set against a dramatic winter sky. This was shot near Mill Creek in South Portland, at the end of the Casco Bay Bridge. It's a neighborhood that appeals to me; it's near the water (always a plus), and it has a number of fascinating little side streets with lots of solid, working-class Maine houses. When the weather warms up, I'm going to park the car and walk those streets with my camera. I love the Portland area. It's so diverse and beautiful.
Here in Maine, as in much of the country, winter is upon us. Last winter was mild, with very little snow. This year, we're paying the piper. At least once a week, we're getting snowstorms that drop close to a foot of snow on top of us. Snowbanks are getting higher and higher and streets are getting narrower and narrower, as they run out of places to put the stuff. This morning, my car's thermometer registered -7. That's chilly.
But on Sunday, when I visited the beach in Scarborough, it was a balmy thirtyish, and people were taking advantage. Although for the most part, skies were cloudy and the sun was weak, everybody and his second cousin was at the beach. With their dogs. I never saw so many dogs in one place. Running, jumping, chasing, playing, or just calmly walking with their owners. There were even two people on horseback (with, of course, their faithful dog walking between them), riding down the sand toward Old Orchard. I took quite a few shots; of all those I took, this is one of my favorites. The tint of sky and water is real; the sun shining through the cloud cover bathed everything in a wonderful, golden glow. I was very glad I went; I almost didn't, because it was snowing like crazy when I left Augusta.
Winter is admittedly beautiful, and very photogenic, but I'm still longing for warmer days without three feet of snow.
