Maine Focus, Day 4, Deer Isle

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Photos from 10-14-13 - on the way to Deer Isle

Once again referring back to the Our House gallery, photos 18 & 19 were taken outside our basement entrance while we waited to leave for Deer Isle. When Jim mentioned Deer Isle as his choice for Jakub’s suggestion, my mind raced with many questions, suggestions, and the possibility of going to Stubdude’s a day early. No, that would be no good. There’s noway I’d want to leave this group experience before I had to. Coincidence or whatever, Stubby’s first name is Jim, and Jim Cook picked the place where Stubby works. Two years ago Stub left his job with a newspaper in Ellsworth, and returned closer to home to his first job at a newspaper in Stonington. The big cut in pay was nothing compared to the total release of stress.

Since I exclaimed that my cousin lives nearby and works on Deer Isle, it was determined I’d take point. Big mouth show off. No one wanted this position on <em style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto; background: transparent;">any day for so many reasons, but this one was particularly trying because of the added instruction of “Stop on the way if you see something interesting.” Ha! I should have backed out of the driveway and stopped. Not knowing where everyone might have found interesting, I kept driving, saying to Barb every once in awhile, “Wow, there’s a great spot.” Until finally Jakub flashed his lights and we all pulled to the shoulder. “Good,” I thought. “He saw it too.”

There was a (what was it?) water works or utility something with a man-made waterfall (a waterdrop, really), but the view upstream provided an interesting scene with autumn colors. Besides, we were all tired of driving with itchy shutter fingers. After less than an hour, we scratched around this spot enough, and the itch gave way to anticipation of what’s to come. But what was to come? Jim had no specific plan to shoot the island, and I knew there were so many places along the way and nearby that everyone would love, but I always depended on Stubdude & Juno to get me there. Stubby took vacation time this whole week so I tried calling him at home as we drove closer to his work. He was there and gave us plenty of suggestions –so many, in fact, that I felt like I did when I wanted to stop backing out of the driveway. Since we’d be passing within 11 minutes of his house, I asked if he’d want to be hired as our guide. Perhaps if we chose a place other than his work place, he would have accepted. He suggested we get to Deer Isle by way of Caterpillar Hill. We were there many times before enjoying the magnificent overlook toward Deer Isle and its bridge beyond tumbling hills of scarlet red blueberry bushes. I remember one time a couple guys pulled up there with a bit of ceremony. They opened the trunk and pulled out a heavy tripod and attached a camera with a HUGE lens. They told me they were professional photographers, almost as if to say, “Stand back while the pros show you how its done.” They setup (the 2nd guy just carried the lens), squeezed the release button, tore down, packed the trunk and sped off within minutes. That was several years ago, and I’ve felt bad for the pros ever since. On this trip, I just spent 3 days with 3 amateurs from whom I would much rather learn how its done. You could see the humility and gratitude along with the thrill of the capture on the faces of my companions as they peer through their viewfinders, and in the prints they produce with the results. There is a respect for the land and the underpaid photogs they follow in the history of their craft. If the pros could have had a setup allowing them to capture the scene while driving by at 65mph, they would have felt much more accomplished. This is the result of allowing the money-value system into art. The only way us non-pros consider the money aspect is in coming up with creative ways to justify the expense. On the other hand, if you’re looking to make money with your photography, ask the pros; they can tell you what sells. Also, so as not to throw all pros under the money bus, the ones that shoot trees and rocks on their days off are perhaps the most blessed and likely a great source of inspiration.



Photos from 10-14-13 - Deer Isle

An hour and a half later we were in shooting distance of the Deer Isle bridge. Missing the turn to Caterpillar Hill, I was happy we all pulled over at a blueberry farm with a gorgeous view of a beautiful blue cove. We were spread out too far to communicate, but decided to meet this side of the bridge. I remembered an old building there with a view of the bridge when Celeste, Juno and I were there last year, and figured it would be a good place to meet where the early birds wouldn’t mind the wait. Wrong. The bridge was under construction, the work vehicles were parked where the old building once stood, and traffic was take-your-turn, single-lane to the other side. We had spotty phone service, but Barb managed to get them a message of our new place on the Little Deer Isle side. Barb & I were the only early birds, and I got the first 5 shots of the gallery. I was under the bridge when the others arrived. They decided to pass on this spot in favor of the potential ahead.

Just on the other side of the causeway that connects Little Deer with Deer Isle we all pulled into the public lot. We were looking for the perfect location for the upcoming sunset and this was our second candidate, the bridge being the first. The afternoon light cast its usual harshness instead of warmth so we left our cameras in our cars as we walked through the wind to ostensibly assess the spot, while on the inside we enjoyed the nature of its invitation. Soon we pressed on toward Stonington where we hoped to find food or some other diversion until the magic hours of golden light. Whoa! Jackpot at the Harbor Cafe. I’ve eaten there before, but this time… Well, I’d be more than happy to tell you in person about the 2-hour bowl of soup, but be ready for a story that takes at least as long to tell.

Photo 8 was taken at 4:30 across the street from the cafe where we ordered soup at 2:30; I was waiting for the rest to come out after settling their bills, and each one stopped on the top step and said WOW before gathering their reality to continue with the day. When we were finally all together we looked at maps of the island and wished Stubby said yes to being our guide. We settled on a general plan of driving around until we felt something, and soon did. The first feeling came at a spot I’m not sure where. We pulled into a private area that appeared quite public to us (at least that would be our defense), got out, and this time assessed the place with our cameras. Others were up and down and all around and Jakub was even still driving nearby in search of the perfect sunset location. I stumbled into a stump that to me resembled a toilet (photo 9). Usually I prefer two-word titles for my photos, but this time the title “A Good Place To Go. Deer Isle, ME” came to mind. I lugged the old wood to a better spot to catch the setting sun, and took a 3-shot stitch to increase the lonely-but-liking-it feel (11). Just then, Jakub pulled up and suggested the second place might be best.

When we were there earlier Jakub found a great (big) piece of driftwood that he & VB carried back to his car where he knew he could always make room for the ride home. I’ve since seen the photos of the others from this spot, and they are far more intense than mine. I remember at the time of the taking that I felt a little detached from the subject, as if part of me was already driving home. I really enjoyed the tree found in photos 13 thru 16. Everyone agrees that in #13 they see a resemblance to a female crossing her legs. In #14 she seems to be burying her head in the sand. In #16 you can see that the tree is not just driftwood, but a live tree still rooted to the high edge of high tide. Speaking of high tide, the water was rising on us faster than the sun was setting, and Jakub was the last one to tiptoe his way back to the lot.

Only the Cooks and us decided to stop for something to eat on the way back, and we’d meet the others back at the house. Of course Yong wasn’t thinking of just something to eat, she was thinking lobster. But this late in the day and the season we couldn’t find anything open until we got back to Camden. We had a most delightful diner filling the room with laughter as we recounted our earlier experience at Harbor Cafe.



The next morning, although checkout wasn’t until 10 or 11, we were all up early. Jakub and Yvonne were on their way to visit their son in his first year at Boston U, Neela and VB had several plans for more photo fun on their way back, and, of course, Yong & Jim had an appointment with the lobster guys on the dock next door. Barb & I were heading back north for four more days of fun-tilled Maine. Although, as mentioned earlier, it rained the whole time we were there, we had such a wonderful time with Stubdude & Juno. The best part is that now Barb is making plans to make the trek again next year.

Even before we left our beautiful Rockport digs, Yvonne was making plans for another outing. Hopefully we’ll be posting more from this group in the near future.

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