* Singles: Dusk on Peaks Island, Maine

"Singles," a new category for short posts of mostly single, stand-alone shots, instead of the more comprehensive photo stories I more often do.  Capturing one single frame that tells a story is just as difficult as multiple frames telling a more detailed story.  I keep working to be better at both.

I am a sucker for sunsets and dusk, particularly from the deck of my little abode.  Here is tonight's.  Not an epically beautiful one, but I try to never take witnessing one for granted.  It reminds me of another day gone.  Did I appreciate the day?  What was the best part?  I sent a V4 boulder problem at the rock gym that I've been working on the past couple days.  OK, technically it might be more like a V3 and a phenomenal 8-year-old climber might have set the route, but I was happy I finally got it.  Made my day.  How was yours?!

  

 

Mount Washington's silhouette is visible in the distance against the orange sky.

* emilie inc.: Published on Style Me Pretty's Little Black Book Blog

The emilie inc. photography wedding season is kicking off tomorrow with Denise and Steve shooting at Grace Restaurant in Portland, Maine tomorrow, but here is a wedding I shot at the end of last season that was just published on Style Me Pretty's Little Black Book Blog.  Tyler and Emily (she is a fellow grad of my alma mater Connecticut College), had their wedding in Rye Beach, New Hampshire at the adorable St. Andrew's By the Sea Church and the beautiful Abenaqui Country Club.  Event designer Amy Piper of Signature Events tended to every detail, assembling a gorgeous warm space for a nippy fall day filled with celebration.

* Winter Surfing in Scarborough, Maine

I have been learning to surf since right after Hurricane Irene hit the east coast at the end of last August. It is a total blast, but I, of course, have a long way to go. I have managed to downsize from a tanker of a surfboard at 10'10" to a barge of a surfboard at 9'4" -- they really are the size of small boats. And, hey, did you know there is a pile of rocks in the middle of Higgins Beach? The ones you can see from Route 77? We had our moment during a storm in December -- starfish style, as I like to say -- but we're friends again. Despite all that, I still wish there were some waves for me to get tossed around on. In the meantime, good thing I'm learning to boulder, another addictive activity to attempt. I started right after my surfing incident, so maybe it was my subconscious way of making peace with the rocks at Higgins by deciding to learn how to climb them instead of bouncing off them. These old photos of friends who can actually surf, unlike myself, made me contemplate all this. It was a cold February day at Scarborough Beach State Park in Scarborough, Maine with clouds rolling in and out. This year we failed to have a winter as such, although I hear there may be some surf this weekend.....

* Melville Jacoby Never Got to Write His Book

One of my writing collaborators while attending the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies was Bill Lascher. He was and still is a passionate and talented writer living in the other Portland -- Portland, Oregon -- and hopefully we can collaborate again someday. Bill created the words and I made the photos for a story on the Northland Hotel in Jackman, Maine, a very special place near and dear to both of our hearts, about 17 miles from the Canadian border, northwest of Portland, Maine. This post is making me realize that I don't even have these photos posted on my own blog, but fortunately Bill does on his and there is also a link on the Northland website. Read the story here.

Bill's latest project is about Melville Jacoby, a journalist during the 1940's and part of Bill's own lineage. He died when he was only 25, but those few years were rife with adventure many of us will never experience in our comparably long lifetimes. Mel never got to write his book, so Bill is going to.

Please check out his story on Kickstarter and contribute if you can. Even a small amount is appreciated. And for those of you not familiar with Kickstarter (I was not), your donation as a Backer is only spent if the project is fully funded. He has about 45% pledged of his $25,000 goal.

Spread the word. Thank you.