In a state that’s filled with many pretty little graveyards and cemeteries, one that truly stands out for me is the Glidden Street Cemetery tucked away on a lovely residential part of Newcastle (yes, on Glidden Street.)

Just across the Damariscotta River from Damariscotta (only a couple of turns off of Route 1), the cemetery is on a quiet tree-shaded lane lined with stately old homes and the St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, which is also worth a visit.

Several things make the Glidden Street cemetery stand out. First of all, the property itself is very photogenic. It’s a narrow strip of land that runs from the street all the way down to the river. The gently rolling strip is filled with mature trees, and many of the headstones are over a hundred years old and carved with intricate details.

Driving back from Camden this past Sunday I detoured to see how the foliage looked in the cemetery. The leaves weren’t quite the shades I had hoped for, but the nice light made me stay.

This particular headstone stood out because of the light falling across it and the old carving. As I got closer I could see it marked not one death, but three. One family lost three small children (ages 8, 5 and 3) in a three-week span in August and September of 1842. How very sad.

I wish I’d known the legend of Mary Howe, as I would have hunted down her grave. I’ll have to look it up on my next trip there.

Have a favorite cemetery you frequent with a camera? Then, check out the contest rules.

He’s recognized by his peers as an expert on the use of flash, is frequently invited to speak on the topic at professional photography conferences, tutors other photographers, gives workshops on flash photography, maintains a blog specifically dedicated to flash techniques, and has a flickr group (with over a thousand members), again specifically dedicated to flash photography techniques.

And, if that’s not enough to keep him busy, he’s days away from releasing a book titled On-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Wedding and Portrait Photography. Phew, that’s a mouthful! The book is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com.

Despite the title, mastering the use of a flash isn’t just an issue for wedding and portrait photographers. Or even just for pros. Instead, the topic is important for anyone who wants to take better pictures. Which is great, because Neil writes (and speaks) in a straightforward style. Rank beginners can benefit from Neil’s expertise alongside the seasoned pros.

Like Neil, I first started using flashes back in the late 70s. That’s code for “before you could set everything on automatic.” And, I suspect that Neil, like me, got his start as a slide film shooter. That’s code for “your exposure had to be pretty much dead-on or your film was useless.” These were both great training grounds for beginner photographers; we couldn’t depend on the camera to pick the setting for us, we had to actually learn how to operate our camera (and flash) manually.

Most (all?) of today’s cameras and flashes can be used on automatic, and using automatic mode gives the user great results a high percentage of the time. That’s a good thing insofar as it’s improved the quality of photography overall. However, the drawback is that many users never explore all the capabilities of their equipment. They don’t learn what to do when automatic fails them. And, they don’t learn how to tweak automatic for even better results.

If you need help with your use of flash, get to know Neil–his blog, his flickr site and now his new book.

Hmmm, I wonder if he’ll autograph my copy now that I’ve flattered him?

When a photo is a portrait of a person (or a group of people), the photographer wants your eyes to go to the face(s).

So, a photographer taking a portrait is going to want your face(s) to be the lightest part of the photo.

This means no white or very light colored blouses or shirts. Even for business portraits, men should select a shirt with at least some color; i.e, blue oxford cloth. People with very dark complexions might want to consider deep colors like black.

When picking clothes, remember that simple is good. Go for the classic, avoiding trends that will make your photo look dated in six months.

Avoid clothing with pictures, writing or large logos unless the pictures, writing or large logos relate specifically to the photos. In other words, no Budweiser tee shirt unless this photo is for a magazine story about binge drinking among teens; no Disney shirts unless this family portrait is in front of Cinderella’s Castle.

Loud colors, busy patterns, bold stripes, big plaids, polka dots, tank tops, mini skirts, and clothes that are baggy–or too tight–all call attention to the clothes, not the wearer. So avoid them. No short shorts past grade school, please.

Many photographers take portraits from above your eye level to hide double chins or wrinkled necks, and to minimize extra pounds. However, from this angle exposed cleavage is only enhanced. So women, please avoid low necklines. If you aren’t happy about your arms, neck, etc., wear a mock turtleneck or long sleeves to cover them.

Avoid any sudden (and potentially unflattering) changes immediately before the portrait– no tanning booth visit or new hairstyle the week before your portrait.

What colors work best? Generally speaking, darker clothing will be more slimming than very light colors, but the best color for you is based on your own skin, eye and hair coloring.

You probably know which color you look best in, which outfit consistently brings you compliments. Avoid the temptation to go out and buy something new; instead go with the proven winner. Ask a family member of friend for help.

If you are having a family portrait, you’ll want to coordinate everyone’s clothing. You might decide to wear matching outfits (e.g., navy mock turtlenecks with khaki pants), or you might be more subtle, coordinating clothes around a common color theme (jeans and jean skirts for grown-up, jean overalls for toddlers) and tops that go well together in a small range of colors (maybe a mix of chambray and navy?)

Don’t forget to consider your shoes and socks. Group portraits are often full-length, and you may not be able to hide your feet.

Wrinkles are difficult to remove effectively in photoshop, so if you’ve picked an outfit that wrinkles easily, iron it and then don’t put it on until the last minute.

A word about glasses: Folks who wear glasses only part of the time are encouraged to remove them as glasses catch all sorts of reflections which aren’t easily removed in photoshop. Remember to remove them 15 or so minutes before the session to give any little marks on the bridge of your nose time to go away. If your glasses auto-darken in sunlight, bring another pair that doesn’t. Or don’t wear them at all. If you must wear glasses, your optometrist might be able to lend you a pair of empty frames that match your own.

About ladies’ hair: Often our hair looks “big” immediately after it is washed and styled, so if you wash and style your hair on the day of a portrait, do it early in the day to give it time to settle. If you don’t usually wash your hair every day, wash your hair on the day before the shoot and just restyle that morning. (Stylists will tell you that day-old hair holds a style better than just-washed hair.)

Men who tend to have five o’clock shadows should plan a quick shave before photos taken late in the day.

If you have a lazy eye, ears that always stick out in photos, or another feature you don’t like, be sure to mention it to the photographer. We can often pose you in a manner that eliminates or minimizes certain features.

And very important, get a good night’s sleep the night before to avoid bags or circles around your eyes.

More important than even your clothes, however, is to bring a great attitude to the portrait session. If your body language says “nervous,” the best-looking outfit in the world is not going to save the shoot. And, the session will take longer as the photographer tries to loosen you up and elicit a smile. If you are totally relaxed and your eyes and smile are genuinely friendly, your portrait will be friendly and the session can end sooner!

Postscript: Following these simple guidelines should ensure that your photo doesn’t end up on AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com

Sounds like a blog worth bookmarking.

If you can’t catch one of his classes at places like the Maine Media Workshops, then pick up one of his books. Two of my favorites are, Secrets of Lighting on Location and Spirit of Place: The Art of the Traveling Photographer. See all of his books, including luscious coffee table books, at his web site, aptly named BobKrist.com.

I had not met Bob, but was already a big fan of his work in National Geographic Traveler when I signed up years ago for his class at the Maine Media Workshops. I was not disappointed! In that week he gave me valuable guidance that is still paying off today.

So, I was very happy to learn today that he’s launched a travel photo blog, complete with photography and lighting tips.

As photographers, we should never stop learning. I look forward to stopping in on the blog on a regular basis and taking advantage of Bob’s generous sharing.  I urge all travel photo aficionados to bookmark Bob’s blog and visit it regularly, too.

Now I’m fairly certain that John Standish wasn’t thinking about photographers when he set up his web site. Based in Cape Porpoise, one of Maine’s loveleliest nooks, Standish most likely was thinking of the legions of boaters who ply the waters off Maine’s 3000+ miles of coast. But, photographers are just as interested in knowing when the Royal River will be an ugly mudflat. Or when it will be too dark to make out the cliffs at Monhegan.

Photographers know that the light around sunrise and sunset is the most photogenic light of the day. We call it “magic light” or refer to that time span as “the magic hour,” though it could last longer–or shorter–than an hour. The magic comes from the sun being very low in the sky, casting shadows that are long and soft; in a very short period of time the sun will usually go through dramatic color changes casting orange, gold, red or even pink hues over everything in sight. These are picture-perfect shooting conditions.

Because the conditions are so fleeting, it’s important to be in place and ready to shoot as soon as the magic light starts. Usually, that’s at civil twilight, roughly thirty minutes before sunrise.

That’s where Maine Harbors’ tide charts come in. If, for example, I am shooting an article in Acadia National Park, a quick look at the sunrise time in tomorrow’s tide chart for Bar Harbor and I know how to set my alarm.For those who have some flexibility in scheduling, Standish’s charts can even help us pick the days on which to shoot. If I’m shooting a story at Popham Beach State Park, I’d like to get as much of the sand exposed as possible, so that means shooting at low tide. I can scan the tide charts to see when low tide coincides with sunrise and sunset. That way I’ll get my magic light and a wide expanse of sand. Or, if I’m shooting the Bass Harbor Headlight and would prefer to have the rockweed and barnacles on the lower rocks covered by water, I will plan to shoot on a day when high tide coincides with sunrise and sunset.

The Maine Harbors site displays six months worth of data for coastal spots from Maine to Connecticut. Looking for sunrise or sunset times more than six months in the future? Check out the U.S. Naval Observatory’s Complete Sun and Moon Data for One Day. Looking for the tides in another region? Consult SaltWaterTides.com.

Postscript: In the years since this post was first blogged, Maine Harbors discontinued tide charts and instead began pointing folks to the Maine Boats Homes & Harbors web site for Tide Charts.