With over 130,000 images on my hard drive it is really, really hard to pick favorites. Even harder to narrow it down to just one.
I have different pictures I like for different reasons.
This one captures something those who sail Maine in Late August through October will know very well. One of my favorite things to do is lay on an island staring up at the spruce trees and the insanely blue sky. Only nature can make such intense colors... The amazing bright blue sky against our green spruce trees is a spectacular sight.. My wife & I are blessed to have very special privileges on a number of very private Maine islands. This is one of my favorites, a family compound on this island has a number of bunk houses tucked away from the main house. This bunk house at the edge of a clearing displaying the blue sky & green spruce very well. The trampled grass and lack of mowing are staples of Maine Island "natural" landscaping..
In Maine you never know who's watching you. I was drifting in the dinghy after dinner, with a cocktail, fishing for flounder when I noticed this guy watching me. He was not afraid, and even allowed me to talk to him. While talking to him in a soft tone he actually moved closer in until we were this close. A seriously curious seal.. Swans Island
The sunsets in Maine can also be amazingly beautiful and the boats we have along this coast only lend to the images. Frenchboro Island Sunset.
The eye-candy of a wood boat just begs to be photographed. This is the personal boat of one of the finest yacht designers, with perhaps the finest
eye of any current day designer... Tenants Harbor (Sorry Bob its not yours)....:wink
These days my favorites all tend to involve our daughter. The Maine Islands are a never ending playground for kids. She loves to hike and climb, catch crabs, search for sand dollars, sea glass and unique rocks as well as have island lobster bakes. McGlathery Island
This was my daughter and her friend doing their best at recreating Robert Mccloskey moment..... Harbor Island.
Sometimes the simplicity of a shot is remembering the peace & quiet you had while taking it. This was taken on December 19th 2012 before the snow had fallen and after 99.9% of the boats in Maine had been hauled. We were literally the only boat on the bay. Overnight temps dropped to about 24F but the peace & quiet made the stay at Jewell Island all worth it...
Zoe got her first kayak at age 4 and by age 6 she was visiting boat in the anchorage on her own, often shocking people at her age and her competence in the kayak..... She's an amazingly social and friendly kid.. Everyone chats her up and she quickly realized her "cuteness" often earned cookies or snacks, which she would bring back to the boat and share with mom & dad. She sometimes sells home made jam out of her kayak, boat to boat, and never comes back with a jar..... Off she goes.. Vinalhaven Island...
Sometimes "favorite photo" is defined not by the quality or composition of the photo but rather the grins on the faces, or by our daughter loving sailing and boats as much as her parents do... Zoe sailing with her friend off Falmouth Foreside.....
P.S. I tried to post just one, really I did......:wink