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Portland Head Light

35 images Created 2 May 2018

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  • Rays of the aurora borealis or nothern lights shoot down from the sky over Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth, Maine during an intense solar storm on Friday, May 10, 2024.
    Night Lights at Portland Head.jpg
  • Curtains of the aurora borealis, or northern lights, dance in the sky above Maine's most famous landmark, Portland Head Light, just outside of Portland, Maine in Cape Elizabeth.
    Dancing Lights over Portland Head Li...jpg
  • I will never forget last night. I simply cannot describe how awe-inspiring, exciting, wonderful, and amazing this was. I laughed, I yelled, I nearly cried. I could see these colors with my own eyes, and even more, they danced and moved across the sky, not seen in a still image. I got to share this with one other person at the lighthouse, but countless others around the world on this beautiful night. I am extremely, extremely grateful.
    Radiant.jpg
  • I will never forget last night. I simply cannot describe how awe-inspiring, exciting, wonderful, and amazing this was. I laughed, I yelled, I nearly cried. I could see these colors with my own eyes, and even more, they danced and moved across the sky, not seen in a still image. I got to share this with one other person at the lighthouse, but countless others around the world on this beautiful night. I am extremely, extremely grateful.
    No Words.jpg
  • This was taken before it was even fully dark, as twilight waned and the northern lights were already clearly visible. I knew I wanted to visit Portland Head, my favorite photo location and an icon of Maine. This place has always resonated deeply with me, and witnessing one of the most spectacular displays of natural wonder is something I will always hold with deep gratitude.
    Northern Lights at Portland Head Lig...jpg
  • Here's the sea smoke this morning as seen from Willard Beach in South Portland, Maine, looking at Fisherman's Point and Portland Head Light in the distance. I love this perspective and return to it often. It was great to see so many people out in the bitter cold, capturing the beauty of it.
    Arctic Intrusion.jpg
  • This image shows a historic wave about to impact Portland Head Lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, during a severe winter storm.
    The Wave December 23, 2022 Portland ...jpg
  • After following the weather all day yesterday, I planned on heading out at sunset to take advantage of what looked like a great opportunity to capture something interesting. I could see that a storm was departing right around the time of sunset, and that usually means something good. My first move was to head from home down to Phippsburg, but as I drove I could see that the low clouds and fog didn't look like they were going to break. After consulting the satellite and radar trends again, I made the last-minute decision to jet down to Portland Head Light. It's funny, this is where I usually find myself during the most dramatic weather events. Once I got past Falmouth, I could see that my gut was correct, the low clouds were parting and revealing a window of clear sky to the west, the perfect setup for dramatic light. Once I got to Portland Head, I did the usual crazy running around everywhere trying to get in the best position while the drama kept unfolding. This was the best of the bunch, with the beach rose in fully glory and the most dramatic part of the sky right in the frame. I couldn't believe how it unfolded.
    World of Wonder.jpg
  • This is my playground, my sandbox. More than any other location, even more than my beloved Lookout Point, this is where I feel the most creative. I love having new experiences and finding new expressions here. I love refining my vision and trying to distill the elements into the most effective visual communications I can. I love the challenge of working with conditions that many would consider to be poor, although on this morning, I think most would agree that the conditions were anything but poor. There was some of the best light I’ve seen on this morning, and I took advantage by applying what I have learned from those many experiences.<br />
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Take advantage of the dark background of clouds by running up to the cliffs on the left. Compose the image to create the strongest way of seeing what was in front of me. Include the sweeping line of surf crashing against the rocks below as a strong diagonal, so effective at giving a sense of dynamism in 2d images. Take advantage of the warm light on the cliffs and in the sky and balance it with the cool tones on the opposite sides in each. Exclude the sun because it would only distract from the scene. Catch both the surf and the rotating beacon at the decisive moment when they are both at peak interest. Process the RAW image in a way that does justice to the emotion and impact of the experience.<br />
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I am still learning how to do all of these things, and still looking forward to my next visit.
    Center of Gravity
  • This was just after my last post with the 🌈 , a very dynamic weather situation. My buddy Jon and I were heading from there to shoot the sunset over the Portland skyline when I noticed that we were going to get another window of light. I thought Spring Point would be a good spot with the more directional light, so we changed course and headed that way. 

However, as soon as I saw what was happening over Willard Beach, all plans were off. We raced down onto the SMCC campus and I showed Jon the famous view of the fishing shacks and PHL that Jack Milton popularized. The departing storm was absolutely aflame with light and color and an unbelievably beautiful low mist was forming over the ocean. It was photography heaven! And who do I see after a few minutes there? Jack! It was a great time, one that I’ll never forget. Oh, and the 🌮 at Taco Trio weren’t too bad afterwards! 

Check out both of these talented dudes’ takes on this scene and see how differently we “see”.
    Willard Beach Sunset.jpg
  • I’ve held out as long as I can, but who am I kidding here? I’ve been dying to share a photo from this morning!!! Conditions were all time, with a beautiful low mist and fog drifting off of land, meeting the water, and the settling beneath an enchanting sunrise. I gathered a few frames, the video you see on stories, and generally just enjoyed the show of light before pulling up my tripod and heading home.
    Portland Head Light Morning
  • Pre-dawn fog and mist make the beacon of Portland Head Light stand out as the first light of day comes and illuminates the beach rose and rocky shoreline.
    Morning Mood at Portland Head Light
  • A blanket of white covers the ground in front of Portland Head Lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine
    After the Storm
  • This was, and remains, the best display of light I've ever witnessed.
    Light Show at Portland Head Light
  • A long lens compresses the distance between these two landmarks as seen from the beautiful Spring Point Shoreway Trail along Willard Beach in South Portland.
    Willard Beach Shacks and Portland He...jpg
  • A long lens compresses the distance between these two landmarks as seen from the beautiful Spring Point Shoreway Trail along Willard Beach in South Portland.
    Willard Beach Perspective
  • A full rainbow appears over one of Maine's most recognizable landmarks, Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth.
    Rainbow Over Portland Head Light
  • A vibrant rainbow fills the sky above Portland Head Light and Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
    Portland Head Light Double Rainbow
  • As many times as I've visited lighthouses for a beautiful sunrise or serene conditions, we all know that's not why they're here.
    Ocean Storm at Portland Head
  • Snow coasts the ledges at Portland Head Light as the beam of the lighthouse shines through the storm.
    White Winter
  • First light shines on the cliffs below Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
    Light on the Cliffs
  • Yesterday's sunrise at Portland Head Light was pretty nice. The challenge was making the best of nearly zero wave action and a very low tide. Instead of a dramatic, stormy sky, we had one of those colorful, peaceful sunrises that feature gentle clouds slinking across the horizon. To impart the peaceful feeling, I included some greenery in my foreground and went for a simple composition.
    Colors of Summer
  • I've had a lot of fun using long lens compression to make the moon appear larger in a lot of photos lately. This time, I wanted to try something different. I used a 24mm wide angle to capture the feeling of being there, standing in the surf along the rocky beach below Portland Head Light as the full moon reflects on the water. I hope you can feel it.
    Moonrise at Portland Head Light
  • A full moon hides behind the top of the tower of Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth
    Eclipse
  • A full moon rises beside the tower of Portland Head Lighthouse on a late fall evening in Cape Elizabeth.
    Full Moon and Portland Head Light.jpg
  • Portland Head Light, one of the most famous lighthouses in the world, basks in the glow of a late summer sunrise on the rocky coast of Maine. Crashing
    Be There
  • Some brilliant morning light this morning as the sun peeked through the clouds just enough to cast a golden glow on the cliffs to the north of Portland Head Light.
    North Side
  • Well, this happened. I'm still in shock. Everything came together this morning. Epic light, big waves, dramatic ice on the rocks. I'm so glad I got out.
    Winter Storm
  • What can I say? Following the weather paid off again this morning. I took a look at the satellite before I went to bed last night and thought it looked good for the morning. Those high, streaming clouds from the southwest. Set the alarm for 5, but woke up at 4:30 with anticipation of the great light. Checked the satellite again and it was Go Go.<br />
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This is a composition I've been eying for a while. While I really wish I had a wide-angle lens to capture this in one shot, 24mm worked fine as 5 vertical images stitched together, producing a bigger, and better printable file. These are still single exposures, no blending or anything here.  I edited to make it look as close to natural as I possibly could.<br />
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I can't wait to print this one. It's very similar to my Owl's Head shot, which is one of my favorites. This is the light I love.
    Epic Sunrise at Portland Head Light
  • It felt so good to get out and shoot this morning.  I haven't made too many sunrises in the past month or so, mainly because the light hasn't been too promising, but also because I haven't had the will to deprive myself of sleep.  The rewards are evident, but it's just plain hard to get up at 4 AM.<br />
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4 AM it was when the alarm went off this morning.  I rolled out of bed and checked the satellite images on my phone.  The clouds looked good for a dramatic sunrise, so I considered my options.  The skies were clear from Augusta to Belfast, so heading Northeast wasn't looking good. I-295 South would take me to the better light.  After driving for a while, I could see the break beneath the bank of clouds was fairly far south.  This meant that I would need to go further south.  Portland was my first thought, but Old Orchard Beach was growing in my mind.<br />
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What I'm saying here is, whenever I plan for a shoot, it's always contingent on finding the best light.  If I go to sleep thinking of great shots around Camden, as I did last night, but I wake up to find that the light looks like it will be better to the south, south I go.  Anyways, Old Orchard seemed like the best option for good light, but as happens time and time again, I felt a strong pull to visit Portland Head Light.  <br />
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I usually park outside the gate at PHL and walk in, but for some reason the gate was wide open at 4:45 AM! Nice. Scouting shots and compositions is always a joy here.  I had in mind a panorama of the horseshoe-shaped cove on the more popular side of the lighthouse, but as the light began to really blow up, I was having difficulties panning the head on my cheap tripod.  If there was ever a wake-up call for upgrading to better gear, this was it.  I was wasting precious time and the sunrise was quickly becoming epic.<br />
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I did what I could with the pano, but the amount of bracketing required to get the shadowed foreground and lighthouse and blazing sky properly exposed was too much.  I quickly reviewed the h
    Spirit of Maine
  • This scene just gets me every time.  So happy just standing here.  Full of joy.
    Morning Glory
  • I kinda almost didn't make it out this morning.  Well, I say kinda, but there was no way I wasn't getting up for this sunrise. Super tired from staying up looking for northern lights two nights ago, and not really focused on any new goals at the moment, it was hard to push myself out of bed .  But... as I posted last night, I knew there was going to be a good sunrise.  Like, 80% sure.<br />
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I considered my options, and knew that I wanted to capture a seascape or frozen bay somewhere.  I made my way down to Falmouth to shoot the town landing, and it was a total ghost town. As happens from time to time, I found myself driving to Portland Head Light, where I knew the rocks and tides would make for some really nice compositions.  <br />
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I was clambering down across the ice-covered, slick as hell rocks when I saw another figure shooting where I was hoping to get my shot from.  I stayed back for a moment and tried some other comps, but I wanted to be where this guy was.  I started walking over, and said, 'How's it going', when around turns Yegor Malinovskii.  You probably don't know Yegor unless you are highly tuned into the Maine photography scene.  This guy flies under the radar, but makes some of the most stunning landscapes I've seen. He's a busy man, but he has that nasty habit of being a real perfectionist and only posting his best images, which blow most of us right out of the water! Check him out at 500px.com/YegorMalinovskii<br />
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We were chatting as the sky exploded in front of us, and I almost missed my shot.  I was happy to see Yegor and really glad just to be there, as always, witnessing such wonderful spectacles of nature.  I casually fired off a few frames and watched the sky roar red and then slowly fade to blue.  On this morning the sun never showed itself, choosing to hide behind incoming snow clouds.<br />
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Yegor mentioned that he'll be going on a photo workshop with Marc Adamus in March, which makes me very excited to see what he brings back.  It's likely all in my head, b
    Red Dawn
  • Probably the most dramatic conditions I've ever witnessed, at one of the most beautiful locations I know of.<br />
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The official temperature when this shot was taken was -9F. The amount of mist pouring off the water was unbelievable.  On the drive down, you could see the sea smoke from miles away, as columns drifted probably 80 ft. in the air around Portland.  When we arrived at Fort Williams Park, home of Portland Head Light, we were amazed to see large breakers rolling in from the recent storm, with mist coming from each one.  What an incredible effect!<br />
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Photographers, this is an 8 image panorama. I framed each shot vertically to include the amount of sky and foreground I wanted, then panned from right to left to make this exposure.  The light was very even and no filters or exposure bracketing was needed to capture the full range of lights and darks here.  I tweaked this a little in Lightroom, but tried to keep it as natural as possible.  My new favorite image?  Possibly.
    Frozen Dawn
  • A stunning sunrise at one of Maine's most iconic landmarks.
    Wicked Garden
  • Portland Head Light, Cape Elizabeth, Maine
    The Wave
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Benjamin Williamson Photography

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