Adventures in Photography: Nubble Light

by Greg Lessard

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This month’s photographic adventure brought me to the Nubble Light, in York, Maine. After photographing an afternoon wedding in Ogunquit, I took the opportunity to drive the long way home along Route 1A to scout Nubble Light for a future photo shoot.
The Nubble Light is a quintessential New England scene. This lighthouse has guided sailors to safety since 1879. Its picturesque beauty has been recorded in numerous paintings, postcards, posters and photographs. According to The Friends of Nubble Light, a photograph of the famous lighthouse has even traveled to space on NASA’s Voyager II!
The Nubble Light is actually named the Cape Neddick Lighthouse. It received its nickname from the “nubble” or small island it is located on. The nubble is a few yards from the mainland and can only be reached by foot at low tide with a good pair of galoshes. This isolation adds to the romantic quality of the lighthouse.

A trip to Nubble Light can be combined with other photographic opportunities, including York’s Wild Animal Kingdom and a walk along Moody Beach in Wells, Maine. What could be better than photographing lions at the zoo, seals at the beach, and capping it off with a romantic sunset at one of New England’s most famous lighthouses!
Nubble Light is located off of Route 1A, approximately one and a half hours north of Boston. Before reaching touristy York Beach, turn right onto Nubble Road and follow it to Sohier Park, which is the official home of Nubble Light.

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This Month’s Tip:
Scouting locations to become familiar with the landscape is extremely important. By knowing the lay of the land, you can pre-visualize how your photograph will look. You should notice where the sun will rise and set as well as possibilities for foreground subjects, such as rocks or flowers. After having scouted a location, you can decide where to place your camera for the best composition, while traveling to the photo location.
Having visited Nubble Light, I know there are great opportunities for taking vertical shots of the lighthouse while including crashing waves in the foreground. Now I will patiently wait for a day with large waves. This will add an element of excitement to the photograph and emphasize the danger of the rocky Maine coast. In the meantime, I will enjoy the photo from my scouting session. Just imagine the calm waters and rocks in the foreground being replaced by an exploding wave.