Acadia Workshop 2022

The last full workshop I did was in 2020- the year of Covid, masks and social distancing. Even though it was hard, we still did it, and my small group had a great time in an Acadia that was much less crowded than during a normal year. Last year (2021), I was part of the Out of Acadia team that led about one hundred landscape photographers into Acadia for four days of photography and classroom sessions, so I passed on leading my own group. So that made this year’s group extra special. I enjoy the large group experience, but I think you really get more attention and get to know people better in a small group workshop setting.

The Images of Acadia 2022 workshop was one of the best ever, with some of the nicest photographers I’ve ever had. We hit the road running, usually visiting 3-5 locations each day, starting with a 5:30am meetup then heading out to seek the sunrise, taking a break or two for breakfast and lunch, then ending the day with a sunset shoot somewhere in the park.

I think the best excursion out for me was the morning we went to my favorite sunrise location and were treated to a beautiful pinkish-orange sky as the sun rose. Later that morning the rain started and the wind picked up, so we headed to Schoodic Point to see if we could catch any wave action. This is the first time I’d taken a group to Schoodic, which is an 80 minute drive from Mount Desert Island, back on the mainland. The waves were indeed blowing, but so was the rain, so conditions were less than ideal, but that’s what it takes some times to get the ‘good shots.’ We had a great time that afternoon, getting soaked but shooting the power of the waves.

Fortunately, my timing for the workshop was spot-on again (I do always worry about it) and the autumn foliage was peaking throughout our time in Acadia, so the colors were pretty intense. But as an added bonus this year, we had plenty of mist and fog which might seem a disappointment for some, but for us, it added some great atmosphere to our landscapes. The mist seems to bring a peace and tranquility to a scene that wouldn’t normally be apparent on a blue-sky day.

Some mornings we ate breakfast at the hotel, others we visited my favorite place, Jordan’s, in Bar Harbor. Lunch was usually in downtown Bar Harbor if we weren’t too full from breakfast. Each night, we’d convene for a good dinner down in town to talk about the day’s photography, and get to know each other better.

Our group came from all over the US and Canada this time- New Hampshire, Tennessee, Maine, California and Toronto. The skill level was pretty high, no one was a beginner, and some already have some beautiful websites and social media accounts showcasing their photography. One is currently showing her work in an east coast gallery.

The plan is to do it all again during the second week of October 2023. If you’re interested in joining me, send me an email and I’ll add you to the list of photographers to notify once I’ve nailed down the dates. In the meantime, enjoy these images from this year’s participants.