ExploringMaine.com
Catch the late show
SUBMIT YOUR PICS
HAVE SOME great fall foliage photos to share? E-mail them to online@pressherald.com, and we'll post them on our Web site.
ALSO ONLINE
GO TO www.ExploringMaine.com for an online Fall Foliage Guide.
PERSPECTIVES ON PEEPING
IT'S TIME TO get out and enjoy Maine's fall foliage in all its
splendor. Below are some online resources to help you do that:Maine Department of Conservation's foliage Web site focuses on weekly
color predictions for all regions of the state. Conditions are postedon Wednesdays through Oct. 21. The most recent report, on Sept. 23,showed high instances of color (50 to 70 percent of leaves turned) inmost of Aroostook County, moderate color (30 to 50 percent) in areassouth of there but north of Bangor, and very low to low color (0 to 30percent) in the rest of the state. The site also has activities forkids and fun foliage facts. Foliage forecasts are also available at(888) MAINE-45.Maine Office of Tourism site has fall travel ideas, including specific
information on restaurants, lodging and places to visit across thestate. To get information sent to you, call (888) MAINE-45.State Web site lists information on guided
foliage hikes in Maine state parks this fall, plus other outdooropportunities. Guided foliage hikes this year will include: 10 a.m.today, Aroostook State Park; 10 a.m. Oct. 4, Grafton Notch State Park;2 p.m. Oct. 11, Bradbury Mountain State Park; 1 p.m. Oct. 11, CamdenHills State Park.Our fascination with fall foliage is not just about the leaves.
If it was, we'd all drive around Maine looking for the perfect picture of one specific leaf. We'd point to our photo albums and say, "Oh, I remember that oak leaf" or "that really was a nice maple leaf, wasn't it?"
But we don't.
What we do is search for the perfect foliage scene. Where light, sky, clouds, barns, houses, covered bridges, dirt and grass combine with the brightly colored leaves to create a lasting, and often breathtaking, memory.
Of course, it's not always easy to do.
So to help you enjoy foliage season more and maybe come away with a picture that wins first prize at the Fryeburg Fair, we brought in some pros.
We asked six professional photographers to share one of their favorite Maine foliage photos with us and talk about how they did it.
In the course of the conversations, the photographers offered tips on equipment, weather, how to search out spots, and how to find elements that make a great foliage picture. All the photos submitted were taken in October in Maine during the past few years.
THE PHOTOGRAPHERS
WILLIAM HUBBELL, CUMBERLAND
Hubbell was taking pictures for one of his latest coffee table picture books, "Portland: The City By the Sea," when he got a shot of Evergreen Cemetery in Portland's Deering Center neighborhood.
He checked state foliage reports to see when Portland might be at peak color, and headed out to the cemetery, where he knew there were some impressive trees with vivid leaf colors.
Hubbell envisioned a vertical shot showing the height of the trees. But after trying for days, he couldn't find any people standing near the trees he wanted to shoot for perspective.
So he got his wife Jean and dog Millie to stand in.
"The stature of the trees was so magnificent, and I really wanted people to give it scale," Hubbell said. "Plus, when you see people in a foliage picture it lets you walk vicariously in their place. It makes it a more real experience for the person looking at the picture."
The picture was taken around 1:30 p.m., when daylight can be harsh, but Hubbell used a polarizing light filter, which he says you can buy for $50 to $60.
MURAD SAYEN, SOUTH PARIS
Every year, Sayen photographs this spot on the Little Androscoggin River. He stands on the Route 117 bridge just off Market Square in the center of South Paris and looks north, upstream.
It's a pretty spot near his home, so he can shoot it several times each fall to get the trees in various stages of color. But to Sayen, the location is not nearly as important as the light.
"I think to shoot foliage, you have to go out early and late. The first two hours of light and the last two hours. I'll go out in the dark and wait for that first light," said Sayen, who is also a painter. "The most mundane subject can be a great picture in the right light. And the most interesting subject, say the Grand Canyon, can make a boring picture in the wrong light."
He also likes the area because it's full of maple trees, including ones that turn various shades of orange, yellow or red.
"I like the ones that look like they were dipped in red paint," Sayen said.
NANCE TRUEWORTHY, PORTLAND
Trueworthy, who has published seven books of photography, including the recent "The Inspired Garden" with Judy Paolini, was driving from Portland to South Paris on Route 26 when she decided to get off the main road near Middle Range Pond in Poland.
She noticed the color of the leaves around Middle Range Pond and decided to drive down Skellinger Road, which skirts the pond's northern shore. In a few minutes, she was at Estes Bog, a small pond in a marshy area.
It was an overcast day, which Trueworthy says was good for showing contrast in her photo. The calmness of the water also provided nice reflections. So if you know you'll be photographing water, you might want to check the forecast for wind.
But one of the things Trueworthy liked best about this spot was the discovering of it. She says she gets a lot of satisfaction of exploring and then finding good photo opportunities off the beaten path.
"That's what I do in the fall; I just get in my car and drive and explore," Trueworthy said. "My advice to someone looking for good foliage is to take an adventurous turn off the main road."
DAVID MEARDON, RANGELEY
Meardon, who is based in Florida much of the year, spends the fall in Rangeley to teach a course on foliage photography.
He took this shot from the side of Route 17 at the S.C. Noyes lookout on the western edge of Rangeley Lake, looking at Maneskootuk Island and the town of Rangeley.
He took the photo after 3 p.m., when the westerly sun casts a spotlight on the view looking east.
He also chose the spot because he attended summer camp on the island as a boy, so it has sentimental value.
While sun and blue skies can be great in photos, Meardon says you should take advantage of cloudy days for foliage shots as well.
"The contrast is lower on those days, showing more detail in the color," Meardon said. "You can use a telephoto lens to isolate the color and eliminate the gray sky."
DEAN ABRAMSON, RAYMOND
The shot Abramson shared with us was taken from Height of Land, a popular scenic rest stop on the side of Route 17 in Township D, north of Rumford. His view was looking northwest over Mooselookmeguntic Lake.
Abramson was on assignment for Maine-based Down East Magazine, trying to get a shot that could be used for the cover of one of their fall editions. He knew it was a good view, and was easy to get to.
So he headed out before dawn to catch first light, which he thinks is best for foliage shots, unless you use a polarizing light filter.
"I knew that the sun would be where I want it, basically in the east over my right shoulder," Abramson said. "You don't want the sun directly behind you, or directly in front of you. If the light is too direct, you don't get good form between the light and shadows."
He knew by the weather forecast it would be a mostly clear day, but he was surprised and happy to see fog and/or clouds hovering over the lake.
For Abramson, that element turned a good foliage picture into a great one.
"You can't predict a cloud bank, but that's the kind of thing that can really make a picture," Abramson said.
He also used a tripod so the camera would be steady while he tried different shutter speeds.
And the shot was indeed used as a Down East cover.
GARY SMITH, PRESQUE ISLE
Smith, a Texas native who spent a lot of time in Georgia, really appreciates the opportunity to photograph Maine foliage.
He was driving around Baxter State Park north of Millinocket one day when he happened upon a camping area at South Branch Pond before noon. He parked, walked a few steps, and was surrounded by picture opportunities.
He loved the colors, the reflections on the water, the hills in the background, and little touches like a wagon wheel on a dock and canoes lined up on the shore.
"The water gets real calm there, so there's great reflection, I can only imagine what it's like at sunrise or sunset," Smith said. "Valleys surrounded by hills or mountains often make for some dramatic foliage shots."
And although the light was not perfect and Smith didn't have all his filters with him, he still thinks the location made for a great picture.
Staff Writer Ray Routhier can be contacted at 791-6454 or at:
rrouthier@pressherald.com