kamilion

I have a short visit coming up to travel to Portland Maine. I am planning to photograph the Portland Head Light, the famous lighthouse on the East coast. I will have a fulll afternoon extending into the sunset. My gear is modest: A Canon 60 D with EF-S lenses of 10-18 mm and 18-135 mm with a backup camera of OMD M10 Mark II with the 14-42 mm lens. Any tips from those who have been to the Headlight and photographed it are much appreciated. Is a tripod a must? Thanks in advance.

blue-ultra Loc: New Hampshire

Bug light, Portland Head light one other light about a half mile from Bug light. If you have wheels and time, Nubble Light in York ME. One of the most photographed lighthouse on the East coast.

BTW there are several different angle you can shoot the Portland Head light from, all good depending on the time of day and light conditions.

Bob

kamilion

Yes, I will have wheels. Thanks for the suggestion Bob.

traderjohn Loc: New York City

Portland and the coast will be crowded this time of year. If you are in Portland have lunch/dinner at the Flatbread Pizza place located on the wharf side.

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

I’ve shot the light both ways and in all weather conditions except snow. If you want to soft blur the ocean, which can be quite dramatic, then a tripod is a must. I have an Oly also and its stabilization, as I’m sure you know, makes handholding a breeze. That said, I find that when I use a tripod, I find I’m a little more careful when it comes to framing the shot. When you get to the light, look to the right and you’ll see 2 lookout points. Go to the further one first, you may also find it’s a little less crowded. Don’t ignore the left side either! Enjoy! You’re in for a treat!

kamilion

Thanks for the tips mizzee!

kamilion

Thanks traderjohn. I’ll be definitely hungry to try your suggestion.

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

I have been to Portland numerous times, always do some photography while there. The one day I went to the Head Light, it was foggy, but I still got some decent images. Fog tends to keep moving on the coast, so you can still capture images when there is a "hole" in it! Same thing happened one of the times I went to Nubble in York. As long as the weather cooperates, you should be able to get some good photographs. There will be other people there, but patience will make it possible to keep their presence in your images at a minimum. There is not a lot of space to move around the base of the light, which puts a lot of people out of sight behind it! You can take photos from various viewing points on the shore, too. The 18-135 would be good for getting a closer view from a distance.

Don't ignore the Old Port. I like to walk out on a long wharf and take photographs of the port and city. One I got right before sunset that is spectacular! You will find an interesting mix of restaurants and warehouses, working boats, pleasure boats, and ferries. There are even seals that hang around!
There are a lot of shops and restaurants on the land side of the road, making it desirable for those that want to shop and eat. But the look of the restaurants on the wharf side, both on the road and on the wharfs, is much more interesting photographically.

It is hard to "do it all" in one afternoon, but not impossible. Pick your spots and have fun! You may even want to go other places in Maine - lots to see!

Look at my photos page to see some examples. 500px.com/susanfromvermont/galleries

kamilion

Thank you so much for your generous tips Susan. Very useful indeed. You have a wonderful gallery with some spectacular photos. Kindest regards.

chemdoc Loc: West Coast

I was just there last week at the end of a trip through eastern Canada. I had seen some beautiful shots online of the lighthouse, but the key was having just the perfect clouds at sunrise to give deep colors to the sky. The one afternoon I was there happened to be completely clear, which leads to somewhat boring shots. If I had more time I would have been there right at sunrise as it appears that you can get nice shots of the sun rising over the ocean next to the lighthouse. In the afternoon I found that the left side (when facing the lighthouse) was the best view. I attached a copy of that shot.

kamilion

Thanks chemdoc. This is a beautiful shot you have. Thanks for responding to my posting.

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

Thank you Kamillion for the compliments. Glad my experiences are helpful. Susan

mper812 Loc: Atlanta GA area

Thak you for the info. We are doing the SE coast of Maine in August and looking forward to some great food and good photography

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

Does that mean you are going to the area along route 1 from New Hampshire's coast up to around York or Portland? This is a busy time of year, so you will have lots of company! There are plenty of places to eat and shoot photos.

Cabela's is in Scarborough, Maine Mall is in South Portland, LL Bean in Freeport. Freeport has a nice harbor, which is not a big tourist attraction. Early morning you can watch the lobster fishermen loading up with bait. There is a wide variety of types of boats there.

woodweasel Loc: bellingham Wa

love it