This weekend is the biggest annual event in Bangor, Maine: the American Folk Festival. This weekend also turns out to be my favorite of the year; it’s a fantastic combination of music, culture, and, of course, almost an infinite number of photographic possibilities.

On the eve of the 2009 AFF, I thought I’d provide a few tips for festival photography and a few examples of AFF shots I’ve taken from past years (click on any photo for more info).

Make it close and sharp

Festivals abound with amazing opportunities to watch artists perform their craft. For photos of the artists themselves, move as close as you can (or use a lens with a high zoom) and capture the artist in a pose that will make their skill very clear. If possible, use a very fast shutter speed to reduce the amount of blurring in your image; a higher ISO setting might help capture the artist better, even in brighter outdoor festivals. (The photographer at the Canon workshop in Acadia recommended a shutter speed of 1/500 sec. for human action; I’ve found that’s a good general rule.)

If you’re capturing a musician, be patient as the song progresses. Try to predict a point in the song at which you think the artist will gesture, move, or really accentuate their skill and prepare for that moment.

Capture the experience

Festivals usually showcase musicians, craftsmen, or culinary artists, but a festival is more than just the music, crafts, and food. The festival experience is just as worthy of being captured. You may pass by a street-side musician playing between sets, a bird intently watching some freshly purchased food, or a couple dancing in the audience. Don’t be afraid to move your eyes away from the artist or performer; your best shots may be taken away from the stage.

Be respectful

Please remember that you’re not the only person at the festival. Be courteous to the artists by not constantly taking photos with a flash (or, better yet, any flash photos at all). Try to find a shooting location that does not interfere with others’ enjoyment of the festival. If you do need to move in front of someone in the audience to take a photo, excuse yourself and move back as quickly as possible. Be respectful of your subjects as well; if your photo focuses on a person at the festival or in the audience, ask their permission. And please, don’t intentionally take or upload embarrassing or inappropriate photos (those make more than just the subject look bad).

Rules are meant to be broken

One last wonderful aspect of a festival is that they often last for a long time and provide you with many chances to take great photographs. They’re a wonderful time to experiment and try new techniques. While there are many “rules” of photography (the Rule of Thirds, the 1/500 sec. human motion guideline, etc.), photographic rules were made to be broken. Be innovative.

Use the festival as a testing ground for new ways and styles of doing photography. The best way to improve your craft is through experience; just ask any of the artists at the festival.

Luckily, if you’re not able to join us on the waterfront this weekend, the number of people taking pictures at the AFF has grown every year. I’ll overload my personal Flickr account with as many pics as I can find the time to upload; I usually tend to focus on the artists and the festival experience. My friend Jeff is very talented at capturing not only the festival, but spontaneous portraits of festival-goers as well. The Bangor Daily, MPBN, and the AFF Flickr group will most likely have a bunch of other photos for you to peruse.

Enjoy the closing weekends of summer!

While thousands of people crammed Acadia National Park to view the high waves caused by Hurricane Bill passing through the Gulf of Maine this weekend, I decided to take the road less traveled: specifically, route 131 to Port Clyde and Marshall Point Lighthouse.

Marshall Point is one of the most beautiful yet under-appreciated lighthouses in Maine. Through its  years of service as a beacon on the Mid-Coast, its most memorable role may have been its inclusion in the film Forrest Gump as one of Forrest’s turnaround spots on his cross-country run.

If Forrest had ventured out to the light yesterday, he wouldn’t have left. The loud booming waves provided a spectacular show at the lighthouse and along the nearby coast. It was a great opportunity to see the power of Mother Nature first-hand.

After a full day of exploring Maine, a relaxing view of a sunset over the scenic Maine landscape is a perfect ending. Whether you prefer potato fields set aglow in warm light, the halo of orange and red around a mountain, or a artwork-worthy palette of colors behind a beaming lighthouse, Maine has you covered. There are hundreds of great places to watch the sun disappear over the horizon throughout Maine.

Here are a few of my personal favorite spots to wrap up a day in Maine. All have easy parking opportunities and are right nearby some popular destinations.

Caterpillar Hill, Sargentville

The Deer Isle/Stonington region combines a thriving seafood and lobster industry with quaint New England towns in a uniquely Maine way. After coming back over the beautiful Deer Isle bridge, be sure to stop at the scenic turnout on Caterpillar Hill in Sargentville. You’ll be treated to a panoramic view of Penobscot Bay across to the Camden Hills, all behind a beautiful stretch of blueberry fields.

Ocean Point, Boothbay

If you decide to head to Ocean Point to the east of Boothbay Harbor,  you probably won’t be alone. Standing on the rocky Maine coastline at the edge of open ocean, you’ll be able to see the sun go down over land to the west. The combination of ocean waves with the setting sun can’t be beat!

Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor

Cadillac Mountain – the highest point on the eastern seaboard – is many things to many people. It’s hard to beat the sunsets there, too; with a view that features harbors, islands, and the Blue Hill area in the distance, the setting sun at Cadillac shows off a piece of Maine beauty that everyone will enjoy. Just be sure to turn into the Blue Hill Overlook before you reach the summit!

Have you found another great place to watch the sun set in Maine? Share your find in the comments. We also have a variety of sunset prints available from around the state.