Fall Photos of Maine by My Friend, Albert Knapp, M.D.
It's always fun to see photos from friends taken during their vacations.
Not long ago, my friend, Dr. Albert Knapp, and his wife, Dr. Ruth Oratz, spent a week in Maine, visiting various parks, gardens and museums. Dr. Knapp is an avid photographer and has been taking nature photos for many years. Knowing how much I love Maine, and Acadia National Park, Dr. Knapp sent me this selection of stunning photographs from his journey. Enjoy.
And don’t forget to watch “Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party” premiering tonight at 10pm ET on VH1.
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- While in the area, Dr. Knapp and his wife, Dr. Ruth Oratz, visited the Portland Museum of Fine Art – the largest and oldest public art institution in Maine. The museum was founded as the Portland Society of Art in 1882, and is located downtown in an area known as The Arts District. Dr. Knapp took a photo of this painting, which inspired some of his photographs taken during this excursion. Rockwell Kent (United States, 1882-1971), Wreck of the D.T. Sheridan, circa 1949-1953, oil on canvas, 27 3/8 x 43 7/8 inches. Bequest of Elizabeth B. Noyce, 1996.38.25
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- Here is another piece of art work that inspired Dr. Knapp’s photos. Winslow Homer (United States, 1836-1910), Weatherbeaten, oil on canvas, 28 1/2 x 48 3/8 inches. Bequest of Charles Shipman Payson, 1988.55.1
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- Dr. Knapp used a Leica S (Typ 007) medium format DSLR camera. His photos are just stunning. This photo was taken at Sand Beach in Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island.
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- Dr. Knapp saw so many birch trees near Sand Beach. The birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus Betula, in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. Dr. Knapp said he chose to take a much closer view of the bark of the tree rather than the more traditional full tree photograph.
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- This photo was taken during a hike at Gorham Mountain Trail, one of the most popular hiking trails in Acadia National Park. With a 525-foot summit, Gorham Mountain provides spectacular views. Here, Dr. Knapp wanted to show the Atlantic ocean and some of the seagulls that flew overhead.
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- Dr. Knapp and Dr. Oratz were with friends during this trek – the day was perfect for photographs.
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- This photo was taken at Little Hunters Beach, also at Acadia National Park. My grandchildren love going to this beach. It is on the southeast side of Mount Desert Island at Hunters Head southeast of Otter Cliff. The views are hidden from the road itself, so visitors take a stairway down to the beach level.
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- Here is another snapshot of the views from Little Hunters Beach.
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- One of my favorite places to visit while up in Maine is the Asticou Azalea Garden. Dr. Knapp visited on a perfect day for taking photos. This picture is part of several he took on reflections.
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- The yellow color reflecting off the water is breathtaking.
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- Dr. Knapp took this image of his own shadow at 6am at Park Loop Road. At the time, he was thinking he was Rocky Balboa after he ran up the 72 stone steps to the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the movie “Rocky”.
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- This photo was also taken from Park Loop Road, the primary avenue for navigating through Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island. Here, Dr. Knapp focused on the growing lichen. If you look at it for a moment, it resembles a pipe with the lichen as smoke coming out of it and rising.
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- This image shows the use of “contre jour” – a photographic technique in which the camera is pointing directly toward a source of light. Dr. Knapp captured this so perfectly – it truly illustrates the beautiful color of the trees.
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- This is Sieur de Monts Spring at Acadia National Park, showing more of he great birch trees that reside there. The Sieur de Monts Spring plays a big role in the history of Acadia. George B. Dorr, a private citizen who lived in the late 1800s and early 1900s, was the park’s first superintendent and a big contributor to the conception and creation of the park to preserve and protect the natural beauty of Mount Desert Island. In a sense, it can be said that the birth of Acadia National Park took place in this very spot over a century ago.
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- Dr. Knapp’s birch tree photos are so spectacular. Here, he really captures the details of the bark.
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- The bark looks so amazingly clear. The strong and water-resistant cardboard-like bark can be easily cut, bent, and sewn, which is why it became so valuable for pre-historic building, and crafting. Even today, birch bark remains a popular type of wood for various handicrafts.
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- This photo shows a darker green “contre jour” at Sieur de Monts.
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- Dr. Knapp liked this scene because of the slanted tree.
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- Here is a photo taken at Seal Cove. Also on Mount Desert Island, it is known to locals as the “quiet side” because it is “much less traveled” by visitors.
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- Here, Dr. Knapp shows how many of the trees have already dropped their leaves – what a stunning fall photo.
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- Here are some lily pads and other vegetation from the same pond.
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- Here, Dr. Knapp shows a single tree on a private road – so beautiful.
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- This is a view of the moon rising over the Atlantic.
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- This photo is taken at Schoodic Point in Acadia, located at the southern tip of Schoodic Peninsula in Winter Harbor. It’s a great spot for viewing the pounding surf during rough seas as well as Cadillac Mountain to the west.
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- This is a reflection of Dr. Knapp’s tripod in the water.
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- Here is a reflection of Dr. Knapp’s wife, Dr. Ruth Oratz.
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- While in Maine, Dr. Knapp visited the fabulous Lunaform pottery studio in West Sullivan, Maine. Lunaform is the brainchild of Phid Lawless and Dan Farrenkopf. They create garden planters and urns, many of them reminiscent of vessels found in ancient Greek and Roman gardens. The pieces are hand turned on wheels, in concrete, and completely steel reinforced and there is a wide variety of natural color and textural finishes.
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- Here are some of the examples of Lunaform’s pottery – so beautifully handcrafted, and they are made out of concrete for outdoor use. I have several pots from Lunaform.
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- This is a lighthouse at Permaquid Point in Bristol, Maine. It is a historic US lighthouse at the tip of the Pemaquid Neck. The rock formations are splendid. Dr. Knapp took this photo with his camera on the tripod, and then look what he sees when he turns around…
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- … he is just feet from the ocean.
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- This photo was taken just a little further south. It was inspired by the painting at the beginning of this gallery.
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- These photos of the ocean water hitting the rocks were taken at a half second with Dr. Knapp’s camera.
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- This is a photo of a beautiful river in Bristol, Maine.
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- This is a lake in Bristol, Maine.
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- Dr. Knapp took this captivating photo of the tree’s reflection in the water.
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- Here is another reflection – showing the tree trunks, and grayer tones.
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- Dr. Knapp has been photographing reflections for years. This river reflection almost looks black and white.
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- This is more of an optical illusion. It appears as if it is the actual tree, but it is the reflection of the tree – so spectacular.
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- This more abstract photo shows the beautiful lily pads.
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- This photo was taken at sunrise in southern Maine.
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- In Union, Maine, Dr. Knapp focused on the splendid fall foliage – the yellows and reds look so beautiful against the green of the landscape.
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- Dr. Knapp could not resist this sign at a local Maine cemetery.
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- Here is a blueberry field in Warren, Maine. This is the time when the plants prepare to go dormant for the winter and show this annual burst of red color – a result of pigments being synthesized by the plants just before the leaves fall. It is a stunning sight.
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- Such a magical sea of red
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- This is also taken in Warren, Maine – another example of “centre jour” showing various colors. If you want copies of any of these photographs, go to http://www.alamy.com and search “Albert Knapp MD” and “Maine”.
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- Many of you may recall the painting called “Christina’s World” – a 1948 painting by American painter Andrew Wyeth. It is one of the best-known American paintings of the middle 20th century that shows a woman lying on the ground in a field, looking up at a gray house on the horizon. That painting lives at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art. Dr. Knapp visited the house – the Olson Farmhouse – near Cushing, Maine.
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