When I’m at an event or any kind of gathering taking photos, I have a hobby. Between the times I’m taking photos to share, I love to snap a few shots of any other photographers I see (like in this set on Flickr). People who enjoy photography often spend so much time behind the camera that they never end up in front of one.
So when one of my extremely talented, photography-loving friends told me that she needed a headshot, I packed up my camera and drove. Enter Maine wedding photographer extraordinare Anne Schmidt, who also happens to be a new mom of one of the most adorable girls evar… and oh yeah, she’s stunning.
Anne and I took over the Kenduskeag Parkway in downtown Bangor during a lunch break earlier this week. I think we were able to cover the headshots and have a little fun at the same time.
Admittedly, portrait photography for me has been on the back burner as I’ve focused on pretty places and amazing arts. But I can’t wait until Anne and I have another chance to take photos together, whether she’s in front of the camera or taking shots herself!
Last weekend I had the pleasure once again of photographing my favorite weekend of the year: the American Folk Festival. Though the weekend was shorter than normal due to weather, there were a ton of absolutely amazing (and very photogenic!) artists performing along the waterfront, including the Stooges Brass Band, Hot Club of Cowtown, Super Chikan, Samba Ngo, Nunamta Yup’ik Eskimo Singers and Dancers, and the Pedrito Martinez Group (pictured below).
Thanks to everyone who made this year’s Festival great! To see more photos from the weekend, check out my 2011 American Folk Festival Flickr set.
Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn, a duo known as Pomplamoose to hundreds of thousands of YouTube subscribers, chose Boston for their first-ever live show outside of the San Francisco area. I’m a huge Pomplamoose fan and headed down to the show on Tuesday. They were joined by Lauren O’Connell, another amazing musician who also is widely followed on YouTube.
Be sure to check out Pomplamoose’s videos over at youtube.com/pomplamoose! More photos from the concert are over on my Flickr account.
A couple of weeks ago I biked from Bubble Pond to Eagle Lake in Acadia. It’s one of the many great trips along the Carriage Roads, and you can’t beat the views!
A little rain didn’t stop the music last night in downtown Bangor for the start of this year’s Outdoor Market & Cool Sounds concert series. Rockin Ron and the New Society Band played a mix of rockabilly and country tunes to an audience of Pickering Square music lovers with lawn chairs and umbrellas.
Head downtown on any Thursday night this summer for great food, crafts, and music. There’s sure to be a crowd, no matter what the weather!
There was a lot happening around Bangor on Saturday, and I chose to head downtown to the 4th annual West Market Festival. The Festival featured a diverse selection of acts from Maine as well as vendors and fashion in the heart of Bangor’s downtown district. The music was amazing, and it was a beautiful day!
Festival acts included Odlaw, Mudseason, Dean Ford, When Particles Collide, Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, Paradigm East, Aether Arts, and The Mallett Brothers Band.
I started this year’s Memorial Day by heading to downtown Bangor to watch the annual parade. It’s inspiring to see the veterans from each conflict since World War II; some marched in the parade, others rode in buses, and a few took to the sides of the parade to shake hands. The parade ran about a mile and included a flyby by one of the local Air National Guard base’s KC-135s.
Hundreds of people lined Bangor’s Main Street to watch. As the veterans passed, the crowd’s applause echoed between the buildings that line the street.
Memorial Day in the United States is more than a day off of work; it’s a time to remember those who have died fighting for our country. I had a couple of experiences today that reminded me how powerful of a holiday it can be.
I saw a small cemetery on the side of a road-less-traveled while on my way to the coast this afternoon. I’m fascinated by the small family and town cemeteries that dot the Maine countryside, and the Haynes Cemetery in Trenton had its own sense of character. Nestled among trees that are most likely younger than the gravestones they neighbor, the markers were simple with an occasional flower or shrub. But even this small cemetery, with stones ranging from the Civil War era to the present, recognized those who have served.
Thank you to those who have fought and died for America.
On Friday the latest addition to my lens lineup came to my door: a Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS. I thought I’d take it for a spin on Saturday, and while flower photos aren’t usually my kind of thing, I thought the overall lack of a sunny spring we’ve been having here in Maine was a good enough excuse to finally head outside and take some shots of what was blooming and growing.
After admiring the lilacs in my own doorstep, I headed up to the University of Maine to experiment some more. What I love about this lens is that it’s extremely versatile; I can shoot wide shots and zoom right in with the same lens.
My last stop of the day was a flora photographer’s paradise: the Lyle E. Littlefield Ornamentals Trial Gardens.
Yup, I think I’ll enjoy having this lens on hand!
One of our rites of spring in Maine is the annual Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race. Hundreds of teams take to the Kenduskeag Stream for a 16-mile run from the town of Kenduskeag to downtown Bangor.
If they’re lucky, they make it the entire length. If they’re not, the frigid Kenduskeag waters will be sure to make a memory that won’t soon be forgotten.
I slide down its steep banks each April to take some photos at a spot known as “Shopping Cart,” a place where the rapids and rocks of the rushing stream often find ways of tipping kayaks and canoes. It’s always fun to see what happens.
If you’re interested in more canoe race photos, head on over to my 2011 Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race photo set on Flickr. (It’s also great as a slideshow.) I took over a thousand shots this morning, so if you or someone you know competed in the race and are wondering if I have any other photos of you or your team, let me know!
