LIFE-STYLE | TRAVEL | AERIAL
Photographer/Videographer specializing in Life Style, Travel, and Aerial Imagery. FAA 107 Certified for sUAS flight operations throughout the US. Fully insured. Videography work is limited to Aerial productions.
Based in Maine (May-December) and SWFL (Jan - April). Available for travel year round.
The transition from summer to fall happens rapidly here in Down East Maine. One day the warmth of the summer sun can be felt until late in the evening, and then the next, darkness is arriving at 7:00. Fall brings a sense of calm and solitude that is lost in the hectic nature of summer. I always anxiously await the arrival of these cool mornings, warm afternoons and brisk evenings. Agh, Fall is now no longer just in the air, but solidly in place.
Summer time in Down East Maine | Leica M10/50mm Summiliux,f4
As summer comes to a close, once again I am going to search for a way to update my blog and my exposure site with my images and words. I have a number of photo essays in the pipeline along with some exciting new photo workshop opportunities to talk about.
Gear is always a part of my photography life, no matter how much I wish it wasn't. After a year of trying to come to grips with the complexities of the Sony A7rii, I have finally given up and moved on. While the IQ from the little beast of a camera was beautiful, I could just never come to grips with the number of buttons and the overall complexity of the menus. If I put the camera down for more than a few weeks and then picked it back up again for a shoot, I found myself lost in the myriad of menu options. So, in the end, the Sony is gone.
Reflections | Leica SL, 24-90 Vario Elmarit SL
I have now been playing with the Leica SL for two weeks, and will make a decision shortly on how or if that camera can meet my needs. The IQ from the camera is classic Leica and their is no doubt that paired with M glass it is a dream to shoot. However, the size, weight and cost of additional SL glass is definitely a liability. More on that shortly.
This past week, Nikon has announced the release of the D850. As a long time Nikon photographer I have been rooting for them for some time. The D800 and D810 were two of the finest cameras I have ever shot with. To this date, the images I captured with those cameras are some of my favorites of all time. With that in mind, I took the plunge and put a pre-order in for the D850. Having been privy to some early thoughts on this camera, I believe it is going to be a blockbuster unit for Nikon. I am definitely looking forward to putting it through its paces. More to come once that unit ships.
Meet Rue, my new partner in crime. Super excited to introduce this lovely Border Collie to the world of adventure biking. I purchased a B.O.B. trailer and a Roberts Axle upgrade so that she and I can begin to explore the backroads. My busy summer season is coming to an end which always means adventure travel is right around the corner. Stay tuned for more...
Super low tides reveal the decaying structure of a Down East Maine smoke house A7rii/21 Loxia
I continue to thoroughly enjoy shooting with the little Loxia 21. It is as close to a 'Leica' glass feel as I have experienced with the Sony A7rii. I have a running set of images on my stories site with sample images so please jump over there for more imagery from the A7rii/Loxia 21 combination.
In a few words or less, this is a simply stunning lens. The build quality is spectacular. The aperture ring and focus ring are buttery smooth, which makes manual operation a dream. Paired with the A7Rii peaking and zoom capability, focus is easy, quick and very precise.
If I had one nit about the lens, it would be what others have already stated. The mount is just a bit small for removing the lens. If it were a tad bigger, with more separation from the aperture ring, removal of the lens would be just like any other lens. However, due to its small size, removal is a tad difficult. All in all, I would say that is purely a minor complaint and one that is easily overcome with practice.
I will continue to update my story site over the next several days with images and then I move on to testing out the Zeiss 25 Batis; the Sony-Zeiss 35/1.4 and the Sony 35/2.8.
I had the privilege of meeting up with John Connelly as he transitioned out of the Canadian Maritimes and into the beautiful waters of Down East Maine. John is on an amazing trip, covering more than 1500 miles by Canoe and Kayak. It is worth checking out his site and his IG feed. Best of luck John and hopefully our paths will cross again.
There are plenty of reviews out there regarding the A7rii and all of its pros and cons. So for me, I will simply use some images to showcase what this little camera can do. After a week or so of usage, I am definitely impressed. It still has the normal 'Sony' issues, but I must say, all in all it seems to be a solid package.
This series was shot using the 55/f1.8 Zeiss lens at sunset. Exposures range from .8 seconds to 6 seconds.
A winter ride into the woods at 29 degrees - The M240 battery is fantastic
I must admit, I am really starting to find a sweet spot with the M240, especially when paired with the Summilux-M 35m f/1.4 ASPH. Yesterday I had the chance to get out for a cold weather bike ride into the woods and take a few pictures and then that night, play with some long exposures. In both scenarios, I was incredibly pleased with how the camera and lens performed.
In a similar fashion to the way my MM pairs with the Summilux-M 50 f/1.4, I find a similar gorgeous pairing between the 35 and the M240. I don't know if it is the way my eye sees or the way those two cameras render the scene, but I do find myself more and more sticking to these pairings.
Downeast Maine, an old Smoke House barely stands tall -- ISO 1600, 8 seconds
Summer sunset with fog that grades to colors to shades of gray -- Leica M240, Lux 50 1,4
Downeast winter requires folks to get together whenever they can
Tucked away off the beaten path is one of my favorite little beach spots
One of the things I love most about the Salsa Mukluk is its ability to go anywhere at anytime. No other bike I have owned has offered me this kind of flexibility. On each of the long distance expeditions and tours where I have traveled by Mukluk, I have been able to cover an incredibly diverse set of terrain.
E and her purple Muk with Escalators ready to be studded
Locally, in Down East Maine, the story is no different. On any given ride, I can cover road, dirt trails, bogs, mud flats, beaches and whatever else mother nature throws my way. The fall weather has continued to be spectacular and yesterday was no different. Hopping on the bikes we did a spectacular 20 mile loop along the bold coast, choosing dirt where we could, some remote beaches and a finishing ride in the dark (and I mean dark...).
The beautiful fall blueberry barrens
An old abandoned smoke house sits back in a protected cove
As the high pressure system moved in, the rain passed us by and the winds continued to pick up. The setting sun this time of year is just spectacular giving you dramatic skylines and lighting up the rust colored blueberry barrens. We turned around as the light began to fade, stopped in to visit friends -- like all good guests, we arrived carrying with us two bottles of JK Scrumpy's, tucked neatly in my Porcelain Rocket Booster pack, to share with John and Lisa. The two are building a house right on the coast, on one of the most spectacular pieces of land I have ever seen.
What a spot for their new home
Bikes, friends, food and drink, agh life is good. With the dark rapidly approaching it was time to head off. My light had been destroyed by water, so with nothing more than flashing lights on the rear of my bike and a little camp headlamp, it was a race back to town. Heading out, while riding into a strong headwind, we were stoked that at least on the return leg, the wind would be at our back. Alas, as all good travelers know, the wind gods constantly conspire against you, and tonight would be no different. The front now passed, the winds had swung to the west and we had a full on slog at hand.
Fading light and the race back to town
This region of Maine is simply spectacular and difficult to describe with words alone. The coastal roads offer up a visual feast for the eyes and an endless array of paths to explore. While you could drive it in a car and get some sense of the beauty and complexity of the area, it really must be experienced on two wheels. The ability to stop, detour, explore, smell, see, and breathe in the majesty of the region is the only way to truly immerse yourself in Down East Maine.
Fall is rapidly coming to an end. The last day before the docks are pulled for the winter. Fuji x100s
You know fall is coming to an end and winter is rapidly approaching when they begin to pull the docks up here in the Maritimes. The winter winds blow relentlessly from the north, right down the bay and would completely destroy the docks if left out. So, E and I took an opportunity to sit with a glass of wine, enjoy the sun, and reflect back on what was one of the craziest summers of our lives...
Geek Note - The x100s is definitely and interesting little camera. I do love the feel and ergonomics (mostly) of the little guy. It is nice to have a camera that you feel can handle the rigors of just being thrown in your bag or being dragged everywhere on a day to day basis. With that said, I am not sure that it is for me, but I am committed to keeping it around until I can evaluate the Sony A7r. Keep an eye out for my thoughts, and if the Sony proves worthy, their will be a great deal on a x100S. Just in time for the holidays :-)
The end of the year has brought beautiful white fluffy stuff to the Canadian Maritimes. This area is simply amazing in the opportunities that it presents for adventure lovers and photographers. This first big snow fall saw me load up the Fat Tire bike with camera gear and tripod and head out into the wooded trails for a physically challenging but visually rewarding photo shoot.
Village all dressed in white
Since the theme of this week is photography, I thought I would continue to add another image to the discussion. While traveling and documenting a location, I feel it is critical to capture both the subtle and the not so subtle elements that visually define that location. After all, most places that we visit have key elements that must be included in any visual story. Since these are key elements in a location, they will have been photographed quite extensively by the see of humanity that now has a camera in tow.
The challenge then becomes how do we capture the essence of a location, see it in a different way, and put our own unique style stamp on the resulting image. I think that this is where the two previous posts all come into play. First, finding beauty in what might not otherwise be considered beautiful. Second, learning to see in a way that is not readily apparent to the masses. Third, looking for angles that are unique, thus blending the first two into an image that has your own personal style written all over it.
For me, I know that I prefer to shoot a good number of my images from a perspective that is not often seen by others. I do this in two unique ways. First is by putting myself physically into different locations, e.g., climbing up things or crawling over things, both give me a perspective not often seen by others. The other way that I change angle is through the use of wide angle lenses. I love shooting wide because when done correctly it can take an average subject and give you something very special.
Combining all three elements will help you not only document a scene in a completely new and unique way, but also will help you to expand and grow your own personal style. This particular image is of a channel marker that sits at the end of a well worn and oft photographed jetty. I personally have tons of images that show this marker as a distant object when photographed from land, the perspective that most people shoot from. In this case I walked out on the jetty, and using a 21mm lens, was able to get right up and close to the marker, making it the dominant portion of my image frame.
As I took several shots, I noticed that the gulls were disturbed by my presence and they began circling overhead. Carefully framing and waiting, I was able to grab a capture of an object that in and of itself is not very exciting and yet the resulting image is dynamic and dramatic.
The use of a wide angle lens not only added drama, but done correctly, I was able to bring in multiple elements into a single image. In this case, the international border marker, the international bridge, the local wildlife, and a bit of the town, all come into a single image that works.
This image is definitely one for the books and a great keeper as I continue to document life in Down East Maine and the Canadian Maritimes.
