It has been far too long since my last blog. I have had good intentions, but have not translated them to actually writing about events. It has been a busy summer since I returned from France.

The 4th of July wedding had perfect weather and a great couple, Marty and Eric. It took place in the backyard of a home in the country, surrounded by flowers and views of the countryside. What a fun couple, and some great photos.

A few days after the wedding, I made the trek to Perce' on the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec, Canada for the express purpose of photographing the Gannetts on Bonaventure Island. Two fellow photographers, Dan and George, joined me on the trip and shared the driving. And a long drive it was. With only occasional stops for gas and food, it took us 11 1/2 hours to drive from Lewiston, Maine to Perce'. After settling in the motel, and getting a well needed nights sleep, we took the ferry to Bonaventure Island the next day. Over 50,000 pairs of Gannetts come to the island to nest during the summer. The Gannett colony was on the other side of the island from the ferry terminal, and it was a 2 hour hike across the island, mostly uphill. The birds did not disappoint us, and some of the chicks had hatched. It was really a magnificent site with all those sea birds crowded into a relatively small area. Now that it is checked off my bucket list, I don't think I would care to make the trip again. Here is a short video to give you an idea of the scope of the Gannett colony.

Gannetts on Bonaventure IslandGannetts on Bonaventure Island

Then there were the Portrait sessions in the Studio. These two families had the most fantastic kids. One set of red heads, and one set of twins. These kids were so great, they took direction very well and paid attention to what I was looking for. The results were some excellent photos. The red heads had accompanied their mother, Jennifer, to the studio and were a great bonus to our shoot. Here are a couple of samples of the kids.

Charlie and JohnnyCharlie and Johnny

With all of this going on, I am also very involved with the Maine Professional Photographers Association. We have been hard at work planning our 2016 Convention in Portland, Maine. We have a great lineup of speakers scheduled and the venue, Clarion Portland Hotel, has been superb to work with. Our speakers will include Katelyn James on Weddings, Gary Hughes on Headshot Photography, Richard Sturdevant on School Sports, and Alison Miniter on Beginning Photoshop. As a special one day workshop, Lou Freeman is presenting her "Portrait, Fashion & Lighting" presentation. All of this, along with Image Competition, a hospitality suite, an awards banquet and more, will make for a fun  three or four day weekend March 18 -21, 2016.

Hope to see some of you in Portland in March.