NEAPUG meeting in Maine?

[Mark_S]

I have been toying with the idea of hosting a get together/shoot for NEAPUG folks near my home, in Cumberland Maine - probably sometime in the fall, after the summer crazies are over.

Here is what I am thinking - this Fall/Winter the Portland Museum of Art will be having a special exhibit :
http://www.portlandmuseum.org/Content/1619.shtml
photographs from the collection of Judith Ellis Glickman -

What I am thinking is meeting in Portland - if we were to meet in the afternoon/early evening of Friday Nov 2, then we would be able to visit the galleries in Portland (Portland galleries stay open late on the first friday of each month, and generally have all their new shows opening on that day).
On Saturday morning we could visit the museum, then in the afternoon go shoot, We could have another shooting session Sunday morning before heading home.

Thoughts? - Interest?

 

[papagene]

Sounds interesting. I'll have to check my long range schedule to see if there are any conflicts for that date.

gene

 

[SuzanneR]

Sounds like a good plan, Mark. I'll keep an eye on this thread.

 

[Drew B.]

The "holiday inn by the bay" is my favorite downtown inn....and would recommend it - good prices (especially that time of year), good views, close to everything and lots of food joints (w/smooth jazz) nearby.

Yup...I'm up for it. (gee, wonder if the wife is?)

also, there is a great lady just up the street who will process your film in no time...

 

[Mark_S]

The "holiday inn by the bay" is my favorite downtown inn....and would recommend it

Drew - The Holiday Inn is OKay, but in that same neighborhood I prefer 'The Inn at Parkspring' http://www.innatparkspring.com/. If you prefer bigger hotel amenities, the Eastland Park is very nice, although probably a bit more expensive than the Holiday Inn.

 

[Voyager]

All...just keeping this idea alive...count me as very interested...V

 

[Whiteymorange]

Mmmmmmm... Could be.

 

[JamesG]

I would be interested.

Whitey, I see you are back. Are you on the mend? I hope all is well.

James

 

[Drew B.]

So Mark...where are we (you) on this get-to-gether? We're all turning blue holding our collective breath!

drew

 

[papagene]

Nov 2 maybe not so good for me as I will be in new Haven Nov 5 & 6 for the NELFPC ROG event and that will be expensive enough for me.
Are there any other dates you maybe thinking of?

gene

 

[Moopheus]

On a sauna-like August night here in Somerville, a November day in Maine sounds like a brilliant idea.

 

[Mark_S]

I had picked the Nov 2 date because of the coincidence of two things:

The first Friday of each month, all of the Portland Galleries stay open late, and many have wine/cheese or other nibblies on offer, so first Fridays are good. Most of the new showings at the galleries go up on first Fridays, and you often have the artists there who you can chat with.


The second reason is that the Portland Museum of Art is going to be having a special exhibition of photographs which will be up Oct 25 - Jan 6, The December and January first Fridays are liable to be even more crazy than November, and there is a greater potential for weather not being good for shooting.

Let's hang on and see what happens before rescheduling. I'd like to get some sort of idea of how many people think that the Nov date would be good, vs how many would like to change it to some other time.

Also, I am curious as to what sort of things the NEAPUGGers would be interested in shooting over the weekend. There are plenty of options around here - from the overphotographed lighthouses, to some waterfront sights, urban landscapes in Portland, possibly take a ferry out to one of the islands.....

 

[Drew B.]

the november date is best for me. I'd like to shoot some urban architecture or maybe go out in the harbor to that historic fort...if that's possible.

drew

 

[JamesG]

I would like to photograph in some of the fishing villages along the coast. Fall lighthouse scenes might be Ok for a half day too. most of my photography along the coast has been during the summer, so a change of seasons will work for me.

 

[Troy]

Portland and its galleries and a shooting foray to fishing villages are two different trips I think. It's an hour from here in Portland to the closest villages with waterfronts. I'm thinking of Harpswell and Phippsburg. Keep in mind also that all the leaves will be gone by November.

 

[bill h]

Mark, if my calendar permits, I'm up for it.

Bill h

 

[Moopheus]

I would like to photograph a plate of fried clams, and then eat them. That other stuff sounds good too, though.

 

[Ed Sukach]

My wife and I have been traveling hither and yon - a LOT this year, and will be into the first half of next year.

I am going to TRY (famous last words...) to make at least a portion of this.

Portland, ME, is a fascinating city!!!

 

[Troy]

You're right, Portland IS fascinating. The other, bigger Portland was named for this one. The city motto is "Resurgam." It was burned by the French and Indians in the 1600s. The Brittish burned it in 1775. And Portlanders burned it down by accident themselves on July 4th, 1866. I live in a house they built over the ashes in 1874.

I'd be willing to show people around my city for the day. It's not very big and pretty walkable.

 

[Ed Sukach]

I would like to photograph a plate of fried clams, and then eat them. That other stuff sounds good too, though.

We have the "Clam Box" here in Ipswich. We, and other Ipswich residents have been eating there for > ~ 50 yea..... uh ... a long time.

Feel free to use my Studio, complete with DynaLites and etc.

I'll even help to devour those clams.

 

[gr82bart]

I's be interested in photographing old fishing villages too. I've penciled that weekend.

Can someone suggest locations to stay - that is where, if we have this meet up, should we be staying? Portland or other place / village?

I can help "clean up" the fried clam shoot ....

Regards, Art.

 

[panastasia]

We have the "Clam Box" here in Ipswich. We, and other Ipswich residents have been eating there for > ~ 50 yea..... uh ... a long time.

.

Ed,

Not only Ipswich residents.

I spent much of my childhood at Plum Island/Newburyport/Salisbury Beach and can remember that restaurant shaped like a box of clams (more than 50 years ago). I think it hasn't changed.

 

[Troy]

Art,

For Portland there's the Eastland Park Hotel, a very big, very old place in the heart of Portland. There's the Holiday Inn by the Bay downtown and the Hilton Garden down on the waterfront. My personal favorite is the charming Inn at St. John by the bus station. It's old school and more like B&B.

There are numerous chain motels out by the Maine Mall in South Portland.

There are a couple of higher-end B&Bs in the West End but I can't remember their names.

Freeport, home of LL Bean, is 20 minutes up the coast but I suggest you avoid it. If you wanna stay near fishing villages that are within an hour or so of Portland try Googling Phippsburg, Harpswell, Cundy's Harbor, Orr's Island, Bailey Island and maybe Cape Porpoise.

 

[Moopheus]

You're right, Portland IS fascinating. The other, bigger Portland was named for this one. The city motto is "Resurgam." It was burned by the French and Indians in the 1600s. The Brittish burned it in 1775. And Portlanders burned it down by accident themselves on July 4th, 1866.

Is this a tradition we're expected to continue?

Coincidentally, the NYT had an article today about New England clam shacks, mentioning the Clam Box. It's on the way from here to Portland.

 

[Mark_S]

There are a couple of higher-end B&Bs in the West End but I can't remember their names.

One which I like is 'The inn at Parkspring'

I need to look into what would be open in early November but one possible way of getting some of the fishing villages, clams, and some other stuff while not spending too many hours driving would be to go to Wolfs Neck Woods State park, where there are some nice woods and seashore areas, and you can look across the water to South Freeport, which has a small lobster fishing fleet. A short drive away is South Freeport, where there is Haraseeket Lunch and Lobster, who have clams, lobster and a variety of other seafood. I need to check to see what their hours are in November.

One of my favourite fishing villages for photography is Boothbay, which is about an hour drive up the coast from Portland. At sunrise there are some great shots to be had. On the way back to Portland from Boothbay you go through Wiscassett, Bath and Brunswick, which would also have some possibilities.

Mark