Maine Media Workshops [now +College!] has a small gallery and bookstore in downtown Rockport, Maine. I've sailed to and from this harbor many times, and simply love the tiny town.
I stopped by yesterday to see their exhibit of prints by Paul Caponigro of running deer fame and his son John. Paul was actually due to stop by at some point in the day, but I missed my chance to meet an icon. Darn.
What I did get to do was chat with Tim who was manning the store. We had a wide-ranging conversation of the kind that probably takes place every day between guys of our, ahem, age. Turns out we’d both run camera stores for many years, both got out well before the entire industry disappeared, and both had our observations about how fundamentally photography has changed, practically overnight it seems.
Turns out my new friend is Tim Whelan who’s second act after closing his store in Ohio was to open a well-known photo bookstore just down the street from where we stood. Having seen the writing on the wall a second time, the closing of that endeavour made national headlines and placed a perfect period on the thread of our conversation.
Honestly, if picturesque Rockport, home of an internationally respected photo school and summer destination of the well-heeled and precious, can't support a photographic bookstore then what hope is there for any of us?

Beautiful gentle swells today

Two very different images today that both stop a moment in time where the subject seems to be afloat.

The new 1D body was purchased mainly for surfing and sailing photos, but I had it on the morning walk today.
Love the glow on the horizon from the low-hanging clouds. And the 1D file has all the resolution this image needs.

I just love the soft, hazy effect here, and the blurred horizon. The relative crispness and contrast of the wave is a wonderful counterpoint. Without the gull it would be much harder to even determine the scale, and I think helps in this case. The pocket camera I used and its small sensor really added to the effect.

Great evening light on Third Beach. The specialists described how they dig a pit, put a foot of seaweed on the hot rocks and coals, and then cover it all in damp canvas. The results are certainly worth, and the event raised funds for a local bird sanctuary. Win for all!