Cascade Inn

For years, the Cascade Inn was a staple for Route 1 in Saco. They provided lodging through a series of small one and two room cabins and through the Inn, but they were most popular for providing a reasonably priced family dining restaurant. The restaurant and all but one cabin were demolished this year, but fortunately, the real estate company that now owns the property hasn't clearcut it yet, as some other local firms have been doing. When I originally took the photo, it had a strong yellow colorcast to it. Fortunatley I was able to reclaim the proper color adjustment with just a few minutes of work in Photoshop. Above is the result.

Portland Harbor

This photo of a tanker and Spring Point Lighthouse was taken summer '07. I I loved the overall composition of the picture, especially with the tattered flag flying right in front of the lens. I'll have more pix later.

Why photography matters to me

Photography is an essential tool for the preservation of contemporary culture for future generations. The above picture was taken in the second half of 1977, less than 6 months before my dad's death. Thelittle guy in the red hat is me. For me, it's a priceless treasure, irreplaceable. Posting it online also means as long as this blog exists, I'll always be able to find it. Thanks for looking.

Engine 3

A couple weeks ago I had the opportunity to go back to my hometown (a whopping 15 minutes drive) and spend some time with the truck my dad was instrumental in securing the funds for. I feel it's appropriate to post a few of the best shots here. As a little boy, I was fascinated by fire trucks and by Mack trucks in particular. Somewhere in the stuff I won't touch till I have a genuine home to move into, I even have a couple Mack bulldog lapel pins. Here's a few of my favorites.

American Duty

I was at Fort Williams park in Cape Elizabeth today and took a couple pictures. Next Tuesday represents an important day in both local politics for the State of Maine as well as national politics.
Please remember to vote, whatever your political leaning. It is a right that has been secured for each of us by the sacrifice of hundreds of thousands over 232+ years. We should make informed decisions about our leadership and the direction of our government in order to secure the same freedoms for our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren in the hopes that they can enjoy the same freedoms 232 years from now.

"God Breathed"

This photo was one of the first with my current camera. The word inspired originally meant "God Breathed". This photo inspired me to believe that I can actually touch somebody with my photography. This particular photo came when I couldn't get back to sleep and decided to look out the window when I lived in Old Orchard. Sometimes all that is necessary for God's inspiration is for us to be semi-alert and observant. I hope you enjoy this picture. If you are interested in a print of this or any picture, just e-mail me at engine3photo@gmail.com

Tread Lightly

This morning Liz was watching Martha Stewart and I watched a segment with a Doctor on pollution in the pacific ocean. He was visiting the island of Midway and found various plastic items inside the carcasses of dead birds on the beach. It reminded me of the debris on Old Orchard Beach last Spring just a week before the start of the rental season. Here are two pictures that I took back then. The first one I call "Tread Lightly". It highlights two pieces of a decaying boot sole as well as some sort of hypodermic needle. These items all washed up on the shore in a storm surge. We have a responsibility to leave our lands and oceans better than we found them for all of our children and the generations that will follow them.The second one I call "Lighter Litter". I don't know if it was in the storm surge, or just a disposable lighter that someone spent while walking the beach, but either way, it was where it didn't belong. If you look to the right of the focal blade of grass in the foreground, you'll see a brighter green object. That's the lighter.

Corn Maze

My wife and I went to a Corn Maze in Dayton Maine last weekend and I brought the camera along. We went with some of her co-workers as a prize for a work challenge they had. We made a few bad turns, but overall we made solid time, covering the entire maze in under an hour. Here are the pix:

Day off

Today was a rare day off and I chose to take some pictures before watching game 6 of the ALCS tonight. I spent my time in Biddeford and Saco and felt that I got a few solid pictures. The first I call "Abandoned Time". It was taken just off from Main Street at an old mill. The White Balance was off on the picture, but it ended up giving it a nostalgic sense
The second photo I call "Progress?" Yet another area of woodland in Saco has been torn down to make way for more mixed use development (retail/office, etc). I purposely set the focus for the treeline framed by the arm of the Caterpillar.
These shots are taken from the same area, less than a half mile away. I think they illustrate that we should seek a balance between progress and development and nature and the preservation of old growth.

Fryeburg Fair 2008

Today marked my first ever time going to the Fryeburg Fair. It proved to be a fun experience with some memorable photographic subjects. For me, unique pieces of the history of firefighting draw my attention. This Amoskeag steam pumper was built in Manchester, NH and put into service in Quakertown, PA. This is a beautiful piece of equipment meticulously maintained. I also experimented with exposures in excess of 1 second for the Ferris Wheel and Orbiter rides. What I love about the Orbiter shot is that the signage for the name of the ride wasn't functioning. In this shot, the exposed moving lights paint the negative space where the sign is, making it as readable as if the bright red lamps were lit. It's exactly what I was going for in the shot.

Some older photos

From time to time, I have really enjoyed photography, particularly around my hometown of Old Orchard Beach. Here are a few shots that I've had kicking around my computer for over a year now, mostly of a lobster boat I caught near sunrise and again a little later in the morning, plus an attempt at night photography.

Scenery & celebration

I must begin this blog by apologizing to any of my readers who are New York Yankees fans. Let me just say that you have had many opportunities to savor your team's victories over the Sox, as well as the many championships that have raised banners over the now retired Yankee Stadium. Now, allow those of us who are members of Red Sox Nation our moment in the sun.
The first photo is a fisheye of the brim of my Red Sox hat (taken at my father-in-law's house...and he's a yankees fan). The second shot is from the other week when my wife and I took an early morning stroll along Old Orchard Beach around sunrise.

OOB Car Show part 2

One of my favorite muscle cars is the Chevelle. It was my brother's first car, a '70 Malibu.

I felt these two shots did a great job capturing a little bit of the edge the car had. Also, I have one more of the '27 American LaFrance. It was shot at an off angle, so I rotated it.  Then I took the same rotated image and cropped it...not sure which I like better.

Pine Point @ sunset

I took another walk to my favorite flower bed, this time with a setting sun.  Got a few good pictures, but this one is my favorite.  Also, below is a shot of a porch that caught my eye as I was walking by.  I tried to make the picture convey the sentiment "welcome home", but don't feel like I nailed it.  Will have to go back again.

Botanicals

These pictures are among the first I have attempted for floral photography using a wide angle lens.  For the first, I used the macro setting on my PowerShot S3.  The second was a regular wide angle photo.  Both shots were taken at Pine Point in Scarborough, Maine at about 5:40 in the morning.  Insomnia needn't be all bad...after all, it can present unique photographic opportunities.

Why Engine 3?

I know the name of my blog (and hopefully in time my business) seems strange, but only till you learn a little about my heritage. Above is a pic from the car show, a 1927 American LaFrance chemical truck from Saint Michael's Fire Department (Biddeford, Maine). Gorgeously restored, it's been owned for twenty years by a man named Mike. I appreciate old fire trucks because when I was little, there was an old ladder truck with a crank engine in our driveway. My dad intended to restore it, but then passed away in the line of duty of a heart attack. My Uncle Bobby, also a firefighter at one time, then completed the restoration.

My grampy was the deputy chief for Old Orchard Beach from '50 to '60, when he passed of a heart attack. My dad was a volunteer on the same force until his death in '77. Before he died, he secured funding for a new truck for Old Orchard. It ended up being a 1979 Mack CF Pumper. When the truck was put into service, it had a plaque under the driver's side door dedicating it to both my Grampy and dad. The truck...Engine 3. Even though I only knew my dad for 3 years 8 months and a handful of days, he left his mark. My nickname around the firehouse was Truck, because they fascinated me, and also because I could always be seen standing on the bench of his International pickup next to him. I try my best to be the man that my mom and dad raised me to be, and I can only hope that from time to time when they look down from Heaven, they smile.

'39 Chevy

This car was one that stole the show for me... a '39 Chevy Sedan completely customized.

The paint job was spectacular

15th Annual Old Orchard Beach Car Show

Saturday's half of the car show was gorgeous weather and I had the opportunity to flex my fledgling photographic reflexes... 

This shot is my favorite from the entire show, a '69 Camaro.  The shot was taken from less than a foot away with a wide angle conversion lens.  The car was gorgeous!