Lynn Amber - Travel & Photography
sharing my thoughts through words and images
30 Days and 30 Photos – Day 20
I have not ventured to Hunter’s Beach Cove for several weeks. It was time for a visit. I love the old log bridge along the trail. It is weathered and starting to become moss covered. It feels ancient and timeless.
- I used the Aperture priority setting – ISO set at 100. My camera settings are 1/4 sec. f/5 46mm
- I used my tripod and the Live View window and set focus on the front log posts. Again, I left my reading glasses in the car so it could be crisper! I did my best!
- Exposure Compensation was set to 0.00.
- In Lightroom, I did not do any adjusting except to slightly crop to center the bridge
It was an overcast, dreary evening. I captured some photos on the cobblestone beach and I’m including a couple of the best ones below.
30 Days and 30 Photos – Day 19
I’m cheating today with regard to my daily photographic upload. It was raining this morning and I had other obligations up until I needed to start work. And now that I’m done work, I’m too tired to attempt a nighttime excursion given the dark, cloudy skies. So, with that in mind, I decided to post a photo I took back in August 🙂
My son and daughter-in-law were visiting and we attempted to drive up to the summit of Cadillac Mountain for the sunset. Unfortunately, we did not plan well and the entrance to the summit was closed due to a full parking lot. We turned around and drove back to a small pull-off by the side of the park loop road that offered a view overlooking Eagle Lake. It turned out to be the perfect spot to set up my tripod and we watched a spectacular sunset over Eagle Lake.
- I used the Aperture priority setting – ISO set at 100. My camera settings are 1/13 sec. f/16 120mm
- I used my tripod and the Live View window and set focus at infinity.
- Exposure Compensation was set to 0.00.
- In Lightroom, I adjusted highlights, shadows and vibrance settings ever so slightly
Tomorrow I’ll be back on target with a “day of” photograph. Enjoy!
30 Days and 30 Photos – Day 18
I started out the day working some overtime in the ranger station, and then was scheduled to meet some workamping friends at noon. Jim and I worked with these two couples in the Tetons last summer and they were both spending the summer working in New Hampshire near North Conway. They took a few days off to travel to Maine and visit Acadia so we connected with each other and had a nice day despite the threat of rain. We enjoyed a bite to eat at “The Thirsty Whale” in Bar Harbor and then hiked along the Ocean Path from Otter Point up to Thunder Hole. Thanks Rick, Gloria, Bill and Sandy for a really nice day. I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with you and loved having some hiking partners! 🙂
I did not bring my Nikon with me today as it was raining when we left for Bar Harbor. So, my challenge is to upload a photo taken with my phone!! Ha! My particular phone is not known for its camera quality – especially in low light. It’s definitely not an iPhone! So, here is my best shot of the day. We spent some time lingering at Thunder Hole as the tide was coming in. The fog bank was drifting in and out allowing for some mystical shots with the sun peeking through the clouds.
- I used my phone camera – so according to my file information when I edited it – it was shot as follows? 1/1000 sec. f/2 3.79mm ISO set at 100.
- No tripod!
- In Lightroom, I adjusted highlights, shadows and vibrance settings
I could not resist also adding the photo I took of the Ilex verticillata – Winterberry Holly growing along the cliffs. Has always been one of my favorite native plants.
30 Days and 30 Photos – Day 17
Today was a busy day for me. My cousin Terry and her husband Frank are on the island celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary, and this morning we got together for a walk along the carriage roads. It was great to see them. It’s literally been years! We parted ways in Bar Harbor – and I grabbed some lunch and headed back to the village green to catch the shuttle to the campground. My timing was off so instead of waiting almost an hour for the next shuttle to the campground, I hopped on the Sand Beach shuttle, got off near Thunder Hole and walked along the cliffs. It was a beautiful day, and there was a nice breeze. I found a spot to relax, take some photos and I even laid down on the rocks for a short “nap” with the sound of the waves lulling me into a “light” sleep.
No tripod with me today since I was hopping shuttles and hiking. I just enjoyed the waves crashing on the rocks as the tide was coming in and captured some quick photos.
- I used the Aperature-priority setting and had it set to f/9. My ISO was set at 100. The final shot was recorded at 1/250 sec. f/9 120mm
- I used the viewfinder and autofocus
- No tripod!
- Exposure Compensation setting was at 0.00 for this photograph
- In Lightroom, I did not alter the photo much from the original – very minor adjustments to highlights and shadows.
On my way back to the campground, I walk through a beautiful Ash forest and the Flat-topped Aster (Doellingeria umbellata) were flowering in drifts under the canopy. Not as focused as I would like without my tripod, but my goal was to just capture the scene. It was magical.
30 Days and 30 Photos – Day 16
For the first time, I was not sure I would get a photograph done today to post. I decided to wait and try more nighttime photography. At first, I was just playing around with some shots at my campsite. My sister had given me some solar LED lights last winter. They are different shapes – a hummingbird, a butterfly, a dragonfly and a flower. They light up after dark and change color. Over last winter, the light reflecting off the snow was fun. When I set up camp here, I put them out where I could see them from the trailer. They always make me smile! So, I thought it would be fun to capture them at night.
I was outside and admiring the glow of the interior lights in the trailer. It looked so cozy, so I shot some pictures of the trailer. I liked the effect.
Then, I noticed the moon was up and headed down to the shore – walking down the loop road a bit until I found a spot that had some nice reflection on the water. I was disappointed in my wide-angle shots. I do not like the glare from the moon and I’m not sure the best way to avoid this so I’ll have to keep working on this! I find it challenging and love being out that time of night.
- I used the Aperature-priority setting and had it set to f/4. My ISO was set at 1600. The final shot was recorded at 1/13 sec. f/16 24mm
- I used Live View and set the focus to infinity
- My tripod was set up and I used the timer
- Exposure Compensation setting was at +0.03 for this photograph
- In Lightroom, the adjustment I made was a slight alteration to Exposure. That’s it.
My moon shots just were not what I was looking for but I will include the best below.
At the campsite, my favorites were:
30 Days and 30 Photos – Day 15
It’s been a long day. My work day started at 7:00 am and it was the busiest morning of the entire summer in the campground. That’s not what I would have predicted. On top of that, I had chosen to spend part of my work day today shadowing the crew at our Schoodic Woods campground – 1 1/2 hours drive north. I left for Schoodic around 12:30 pm. I love the Schoodic Peninsula and thoroughly enjoyed my time spent there. But, driving back to MDI I could tell I was losing steam and the long day was catching up to me. And then, I entered the island and noticed the dense fog bank starting to envelope the coast. I could tell my photographic journey was starting to have a serious impact on me! My enthusiasm to get a good photo opp today gave me a second wind. All I could think about was getting back to the campground, grabbing my camera and heading to the cliffs. The combination of the fog bank against a colorful sunset promised to be inspiring and I did not want to miss it.
I set up my tripod at the exact point where I captured the sunrise photo earlier in this blog series – over Otter Point. I took a number of pictures facing that direction but also changed perspective and swiveled the camera 180 degrees in the opposite direction. That was the photo that most inspired me. The simplicity of the scene and the subtle light was irresistible.
- I used the Aperature-priority setting and had it set to f/16. My ISO was set at 100. The final shot was recorded at 1/13 sec. f/16 24mm
- I used Live View and manual focus for this shot
- My tripod was set up and I used the timer
- Exposure Compensation setting was at -0.03 for this photograph
- In Lightroom, the adjustments I made were to Highlights, slight adjustment to Shadows and Vibrance settings. I did slightly crop the photo, and adjust the horizon line a bit 🙂
Just for fun, I zoomed in on the water below where my tripod was set up and slowed down the shutter speed so I could get a “dreamy” photo of the water churning around the rocks. Caught a gull enjoying a marine life snack!
30 Days and 30 Photos – Day 14
It’s been awhile since I strolled around one of my favorite gardens here on Mount Desert Island – Thuya Gardens. I drove over there after work today and parked off Route 3 and hiked up the Asticou Terrace access to the garden. There were still some fall perennials and annuals blooming and I took a number of close-up shots of some of the best examples. After a couple of tours around the garden, I came upon some monarch butterflies feeding. There is a section of the garden where they have some native milkweed planted and I had snapped a few photos of the caterpillars earlier in the season. I took a few quick shots of the adult monarchs – and thought this one turned out pretty clear.
- I used the Aperature-priority setting and had it set to f/4. My ISO was set at 400. The final shot was recorded at 1/1000 sec. f/4 120mm
- I used viewfinder and auto-focus
- This garden requires permission to use photographic equipment so I did not use my tripod
- Exposure Compensation setting was at -0.03 for this photograph
- In Lightroom, the adjustments I made were to Highlights, slight adjustment to Shadows and Vibrance settings. I cropped the photograph to zoom in on the monarch.
I thought I would share my photo of the caterpillar photo I captured earlier in the summer. I really like this angle.
30 Days and 30 Photos – Day 13
There is a “social” path that leads off of the Quarry Trail in Acadia. I noticed it a few weeks ago but never ventured down that elusive trail. I suspect it has its origin in the village of Otter Creek, intersects the Quarry Trail and leads down to the Park Loop Road near where there is access to an old fishing shack on Otter Cove. This morning I decided to walk down this path to explore – figuring that I would be alone since it is not a marked trail. I was right. My goal this morning was to find an interesting shot of the incredible diversity of moss and lichen in the forest. I do not have a clue as to what species of moss and/or lichen are attached to this tree trunk but if you look closely there are several different plants/fungi growing here. I understand that mosses are indeed considered plants but lichen is a type of fungus. I just love the textures and colors. I need to look for a guide that will help me identify the species in the photo. For now, though – just enjoy!
One thing I will note. When I got my tripod out to set it up for this shot, I realized two things. One – I had forgotten my reading glasses! That meant I was limited to using the autofocus and viewfinder. Good Grief! Two – I had never used my tripod to take a shot with the camera turned vertical. It took me awhile to figure out how to manipulate my tripod to angle it appropriately! Good learning experience!
- I used the Aperature-priority setting and had it set to f/5.6 My ISO was set at 400. The final shot was recorded at 1/10 sec. f/5.6 70mm
- I used viewfinder and autofocus
- Tripod shot for sure with the timer set on release mode dial
- Exposure Compensation setting was at -0.03 for this photograph
- In Lightroom, the adjustments I made were to Highlights, slight adjustment to Shadows and Vibrance settings. I did sharpen the photo just a bit.
30 Days and 30 Photos – Day 12
When I visited the library in Bar Harbor yesterday, I noticed a book on one of the display tables called “Living on the Edge.” It’s not what you might think given that title! The book is a guide to life along the seacoast environment here in Maine. It focuses on the natural environment – both plant and animal life – that survives where at the intersection of land and sea. Written by a local naturalist with photographs by a former Acadia park ranger, it is an easy, informative guide. Scanning the book when I got home, I became inspired to more closely walk the shoreline and examine the plant and animal life. I’m certainly more familiar with the plant life here but regarding the marine animal life I am a novice.
When I think of the word periwinkle, images of the “plants” that use this common name come to mind. In a word association game, if someone said periwinkle to me – I would respond – Vinca minor. Or perhaps, think of the annual periwinkle “Catharanthus.” In Maine along the coast, periwinkle takes on a completely different meaning! Periwinkles are gastropods (think marine snail) and are abundant in the tidal pools and shores along the Maine coast. I’m thoroughly enjoying this book with its excellent photographs and narrative.
- I used the Aperature-priority setting and had it set to f/7.1 My ISO was set at 100. The final shot was recorded at 1/125 sec. f/7.1 86mm
- I used live view and manual focus zeroing in on the whitish periwinkle in second from left
- Tripod shot for sure with the timer set on release mode dial
- Exposure Compensation setting was at -0.03 for this photograph
- In Lightroom, the adjustments I made were to Highlights, slightly Shadows and Vibrance settings. I did sharpen the photo a tad.
A couple of other photos I took along the way that I thought were interesting and fun are added here.
30 Days and 30 Photos – Day 11
Torrential rain fell upon Mount Desert Island today. I hunkered down inside my trailer for much of the day and thought about how I would manage to get a photo opportunity. I cleaned, read and eventually took the shuttle into Bar Harbor to the library for MORE reading material. By the time I got back to my campsite, the rain had ended but the fog was rolling in thick. I could hear the thunderous roar of the pounding surf from the campground and decided to walk down to the cliffs with my camera and tripod to see if I could somehow conjure up a Day 11 photo.
I stopped at numerous places along the loop road – setting up my tripod and shooting photographs of the tumultuous surf. It sure was impressive but I was having a hard time capturing it on “film.” Eventually, I even picked my way down the slippery rocks to “my cove.” Since it was low tide, the surf was not close enough to be impressive from this angle. It was getting late so I headed back home and that’s when I saw a little used path down to a cliff that I had never discovered before now. I gingerly picked my way down there and, lo and behold, had my picture! A single Seaside Goldenrod was poking up from a crevice in the rock and lent a bit of color to an otherwise drab landscape. You can still see the raindrops clinging to the leaves.
- I used the Aperature-priority setting and had it set to f/4. My ISO was set at 400. The final shot was recorded at 1/200 sec. f/4 48mm
- I used live view and manual focus zeroing in on the goldenrod in the foreground
- Tripod shot for sure with the timer set on release mode dial
- Exposure Compensation setting was at -0.03 for this photograph
- In Lightroom, the adjustments I made were to ever so minor in Highlights and Vibrance settings.
A couple of other photographs taken right before this one are worth posting – one of the water and one of the rocks in “my cove.”
Lynn Amber - Travel & Photography 