Maine Coast Photography Workshop

About the Maine Coast photography workshop

The Maine coast offers a mix of weathered lighthouses, working harbors, rocky shoreline, and constantly changing light. Boats rise and fall with the tide. Rope, wood, and paint show years of salt exposure, and mornings often begin with a chill in the air. The Maine coast doesn't depend on bold or dramatic moments. Instead, strong photographs emerge from noticing how boats, buildings, shoreline, and sky interact within scenes that can initially seem ordinary. Making a compelling photograph here requires careful positioning, thoughtful framing, and attention to how human elements balance with land and sea.

We relocate during the week to stay near different sections of shoreline. This allows us to work with a wide range of locations under appropriate light, from Bailey Island and Pemaquid Lighthouse to the harbor at Port Clyde. Each stop presents its own compositional challenges: vertical lighthouses standing against layered clouds, moored boats and dock lines that either strengthen or clutter a frame, and shoreline textures that respond differently as the light evolves. Working this way creates ongoing opportunities to assess new scenes, choose strong vantage points, and refine compositions as conditions change.

Late May along the Maine coast often feels more like early spring than summer. The ocean keeps the air cool, and cold fingers at sunrise are common. Cloud layers determine much of what the light will offer. When they align, skies can build gradually into color that reflects in harbor water or settles behind a lighthouse for several steady minutes. Other mornings remain soft and overcast, rewarding quieter compositions shaped by texture and tone. We work with whatever the week brings, adapting to cloud structure and coastal weather.

Midweek, time on Monhegan Island shifts the rhythm of the workshop. Twelve miles offshore, the island removes the car from the equation and slows the pace. We photograph the lighthouse above the village, explore the side streets and footpaths of the community, and wander the shoreline. Without constant relocation, participants often work more independently, returning to scenes and refining ideas while Andy circulates to help as needed. Evenings there tend to feel different, with shared meals, conversation, and a sense of being immersed in a place that operates on its own schedule.

Andy Cook is present throughout the workshop, not to make his own images, but to offer guidance as needed, whether that means talking through lens choice, refining a composition, or stepping back when a scene is coming together. Participants work in different ways, but the shared focus remains: making clear decisions in the field and returning home with a strong set of photographs from across the Maine coast.

Workshop highlights

A coastal route designed for photography

The workshop progresses north along the coast, positioning us near sunrise and sunset locations instead of commuting long distances each day. Moving between Bailey Island, Pemaquid, Port Clyde, and Monhegan keeps the focus on light rather than logistics, allowing more time on location and less time in the car.

Harbors, lighthouses, and coastal villages

Lighthouses, harbors, and villages offer more visual information than first meets the eye. Boats, docks, and buildings create layered compositions that reward careful simplification and placement. The work here lies in recognizing relationships that make a strong image.

Monhegan Island: a different rhythm

The ferry ride offshore marks a shift in pace. With nearly all travel on foot, time expands. Scenes can be revisited, compositions reconsidered, and ideas pursued without constant relocation. The island experience itself becomes part of the workshop, influencing both the photographs and the shared experience of the week.

Registration

Registration details are available on the next page.

→ Register for the Maine Coast workshop

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Getting to the workshop

Air travel

Most participants fly into Portland, Maine or Manchester, New Hampshire. Boston is another option.

Drive times:
Portland to Bailey Island: ~1 hour
Port Clyde to Portland: ~2 hours

Manchester to Bailey Island: ~3 hours
Port Clyde to Manchester: ~3.25 hours

Driving and carpooling

Roads are mostly paved and a standard rental car is sufficient. A GPS or smartphone makes relocating between hotels and restaurants straightforward.

Recommended gear

Lenses

A versatile range helps on the Maine coast. Focal lengths spanning roughly 16mm to 400mm (after crop-factor adjustment) cover wide shoreline scenes, lighthouse framing, and tighter details in harbors.

Filters

A polarizer helps manage glare and deepen color. A 6-stop (or stronger) neutral density filter is useful for long exposures when waves and tide invite slower shutter speeds.

Monhegan Island travel

Monhegan has almost no vehicles, so we carry what we bring. Consider packing a smaller, easy-to-carry bag or duffel for the island portion of the workshop. You can leave larger luggage in your vehicle on the mainland and travel light.

More workshop information