Sweeping landscapes, vibrant color and perfect weather. That's what was going on at Acadia National Park this fall. We kind of struck the color jackpot during our visit, because we were most likely around for the most beautiful week of the season.
As soon as we arrived in Acadia, I discovered that out of sheer coincidence my good friend and renowned nature photographer Tony Sweet was teaching a workshop that same week! Not only was it great to meet up, but Tony had some good tips on where to shoot.
Just driving around within the park was great. We found ourselves pulling over on the central Loop Road just to shoot the surrounding color. There were lots of excellent shooting locales in the park. The trick was finding out where the light was best! (and where there wasn't a slew of other photographers with the same idea).
Here are some of our shooting locales:
– Eagle Lake: Good at both dawn and dusk (we had the most success as the sun went down)
– Jordan Pond: We got there mid-morning and got some great images. The sun wasn't overly harsh by then. (We do, however shoot mostly HDR so that probably helped)
– Thunder Hole: The perfect sunrise local. The light just dances off the rocks here.
– Cadillac Mountain: We were here in the afternoon, so the light wasn't all that hot, but apparently that's an amazing place to be at sunrise. (Warning: Every other photographer in Acadia also knows this, so if you go, expect a sea of tripods at the top.)
-Beech Mountain: If you get to the top, there are 300-degree views of water, islands and mountains. BUT, it is a serious hike to get up there, so bring minimal gear if you can. (and if you have any health issues/injuries/etc. you may want to skip this one.
I'm sure there were tons of other great locales that we missed, but it's always good to have something on the list for the next time!
Be sure to check back here to see more updates as we follow the fall colors south!
Here's Karen's take on Acadia: http://www.thepixeldiaries.com/2010/10/acadia-national-park-east-coast.html