» landscape

Look a Little Closer

Stacey Cramp — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:25:01 +0000

There were numerous reports this fall about foliage being less than spectacular. And it’s true. It was not a colorful year for many reasons, apparently, many of them sad. And yet. Well, I’ll be honest. I find myself a little irritated that leaf peepers expect outstanding beauty to be right in their line of vision as they fly by in their vehicles. With weather getting more and more erratic (an October snowstorm rages outside as I type), those seeking natural beauty may have to try a little harder. You might have to slow down. You may have to get up early. You may actually have to GET OUT OF YOUR CAR and GO FOR A WALK IN THE WOODS. Yes, I’m shouting. I’m sorry but you need to take a closer look. Beauty abounds. Here’s some of what I found while making just a small effort this fall…

Spring Hasn’t Sprung

Stacey Cramp — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:58:29 +0000

Most years (with last year being a notable exception) springtime here in Maine does not mean the same thing as it does to much of the rest of the country. In early April, lakes are usually still partially frozen and typically there is some snow on the ground, if not an all out snowstorm at some point. By the end of the month, crocuses, tulips, daffodils and hyacinths are making a timid start. Lawns start to resume having a bit of green here and there, and trees are beginning to bud. As eager as we are to go outdoors in a single layer instead of six and slather on sunscreen, I still manage to find beauty in this season of damp days and moody skies. For the record, though, I would welcome a bit more brightness in May! Here are a few shots of the Maine landscape from the month of April.

A New Year

Stacey Cramp — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 21:36:13 +0000

Sunset, Dec. 31, 2009

The sun seemed to be wishing 2009 a fond farewell last Thursday. The snow that had been lightly falling throughout the day stopped just in time for the brilliant pinky orange orb in the sky to shine brightly as it descended below the powder-coated trees. In the hopes that the sky would be clear enough to capture the blue moon rising, I dashed from field to shore. A blanket of snow covered the rocky shoreline, but the sky was filled with milky blue clouds. Still, it was a breathtaking scene. By the following morning the blue moon’s high tide had washed much of the sugary topping away. It was a reminder to me to seize more opportunities to make images. Wait a few hours, vowing to capture it later, and the whole scene may be different. So get out there you (yes, I mean you!), and carpe that diem!

2009 | 2010

Favorite Fall Film Photos

Stacey Cramp — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:32:06 +0000

Fall is my favorite season. I don’t think it was always that way. I wasn’t thrilled to go back to school or to rake the piles upon piles of leaves the maple trees strew across my family’s lawn when I was growing up. But as an adult, it’s ideal. The tourists are largely gone. It’s easy to find a place to be alone with nothing but the sound of rustling leaves underfoot. The light is golden yet subdued. The dark browns, deep reds and glowing yellows send me into color-driven creative frenzies. Something about spent vegetation is very appealing to me; it has more character, like a well-used pie tin. Here are some of my favorite shots from the past two months. Enjoy!

On the Road

Stacey Cramp — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:24:43 +0000

Okay, so it’s been a while. Sorry. The past couple of months have been a jumble of personal and work trips, and they aren’t over yet. Here are a few of the pictorial highlights.

LATE AUGUST: We visited my sister in Connecticut, where there were wildflowers, fog….

a bathtub in the woods…

farm-fresh fingerlings and a delectable stew…

LATE SEPTEMBER: I went to the Common Ground Fair (for the first time I’m ashamed to say). There were proud farmers….

and lovely food specimens…

I biked up to Bar Harbor from South Portland (yes, that IS 162 miles) with two wonderful friends over two lovely fall days. We spent the second night on Little Cranberry Island where my friend Kelly grew up. Her mother, Anna, whose picture should be next to the word hospitality in the dictionary, still lives there, as do some of her siblings, some of whom are lobstermen. They provided us with a dinner of the freshest, most succulent lobster ever…

The next day I had a couple hours to explore the island in all its golden fall glory….

EARLY OCTOBER: I traveled to Michigan for a Running Times shoot. There was a world-class runner, a crazy chapati-eating dog (photos of these curiosities to come in the Jan/Feb issue of the magazine) and corn, lots of it…

MID OCTOBER: Fall in Maine isn’t complete without a visit to an orchard. We chose Dole’s in Limington where there was a cat on a mission…

and a surfeit of the round red things….

Stay tuned for more adventures!

September

Stacey Cramp — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:52:31 +0000

A Smattering of Summer Shots

Stacey Cramp — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:52:03 +0000

I’ll write soon about some fun recent work I’ve done, but for now thought I’d distract you with some of my favorite personal shots taken during this crazy summer that has been both maddeningly wet and stiflingly hot at times. Still, we managed to get out and enjoy the outdoors and our vegetables did grow, finally! Enjoy.

Clockwise from top left: The hindquarters of Clara, our dog, in an abandoned quarry in Stonington; gorgeous eggplant from Freedom Farm; a view of Mt. Katahdin from Daicey Pond, where we camped for my birthday; the extreme greenness of the Barred Island Trail in Stonington; the incredibly beautiful and frigidly cold Katahdin Stream in Baxter State Park; a rare self-portrait at Reid State Park (something about turning 40 made me think I should do this!); my husband, Scott, pondering life while waiting for morning coffee during our trip in Baxter; a recent cherry tomato harvest from our garden; and lovely lichen at Two Lights State Park.

California Film

Stacey Cramp — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 01:31:00 +0000

Here they are, finally. A few of my favorite film shots from Pacific Grove and Point Lobos. Hope you enjoy!

Pinhole Plug

Stacey Cramp — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:23:27 +0000

For those of you who missed the opening at the University of New England Gallery of Art last night, well, you really missed out! It was a great turn out and the collection of images is superb. Hats off to Steve Halpert for curating a great show. There is still plenty of time to see the show, however. It is up until June 7th. My six pinhole images are in the exhibit and in case you haven’t already heard, they are now officially represented by VoxPhotographs. This is a very exciting development as I’m thrilled to have Heather Frederick’s considerable enthusiasm and stamina behind the effort to get these images into the public eye. If you’re interested in purchasing any (hint, hint), check them out at UNE and/or contact Heather directly.

I’m currently scanning loads of color film images from my California trip and hope to post my favorites in the next few days. Check back in soon!

In Weston’s Wake

Stacey Cramp — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 01:07:05 +0000

Edward Weston was one of the first fine art photographers that inspired me when I began taking black and white landscape photos a dozen years ago. His need for, and mastery of, precise, orderly composition and his acute awareness of the range of nature’s tones are things I strive for in my work as well. Ever since I first laid eyes on his work, I have been curious about the place where he produced his greatest landscapes, Point Lobos. (Coincidentally, The New York Times published an article about Weston and Point Lobos in yesterday’s Travel section.)

So named for the wolf-like sounds the resident sea lion colony makes, this state reserve incorporates 554 acres of land and 750 submerged acres, including 80-million-year-old rock formations, arresting aqua-blue coves with fine sand beaches, gnarled Monterey Cypress trunks, scores of slumbering seals and a long list of other natural delights. During our recent trip to California, I visited Point Lobos five times. I just could not get enough of the soft blues and green hues of the low-lying vegetation, the ever-changing light and the abundant wildlife.

My work has evolved in the past decade to incoporate color photography and despite, or maybe because of, Weston’s monochromatic example, I did not feel compelled to shoot black and white at Point Lobos. Maybe since the Maine winter starved me of color, that’s what I was enamored of while there. It should be noted that while Weston’s black and white images of Point Lobos are best known, he did make some Kodachrome images there. So, perhaps his ashes, which are scattered at the now eponymously named Weston Beach, will forgive me my use of color. I also hope he’ll forgive me for posting digital (gasp!) photos. I took loads of film images at Point Lobos and have high hopes for the results (the mark of an amazing landscape for me is when I pay it the honor of using film instead of digital), but in the interest of immediacy, I’m posting some quick digital captures here. Here’s the obligatory cute seal photo.

A ranger I spoke with at Point Lobos, Chuck Bancroft, has worked there 28 years! The excitement with which he pointed out an osprey in a distant tree and described the birth of a seal he had captured with his camera the previous day made me think he hasn’t lost an ounce of enthusiasm for his job in almost three decades. And understandably so. To be surrounded by this breath-taking landscape and educate people about its wonders day after day seems like a dream job to me. Ranger Chuck drew me a nice map of where I might be able to spot a long-eared owl that was apparently newly in residence on the reserve. I didn’t find the owl, but along the way, I did see this lace lichen, which was definitely photo worthy.

I can easily see the allure of going back to Point Lobos repeatedly. Each visit yields different light, varying observations and a growing sense of what matters. Even if I can’t have Ranger Chuck’s job, I will definitely make future visits to this astounding natural treasure.