Although it is known as the Hemlock Path on the map, this delightful .2-mile-long run through the Great Meadow of Acadia National Park will always be known to me as the White Birch Path for what seem to be obvious reasons. Twenty years ago I called it by that name, and the appellation stuck around. It is part of a wonderful web of footpaths that wander the base of Cadillac Mountain near Sieur de Monts Spring where the Penobscot before them and early European explorers of MDI found fresh water to sustain their presence in this beautiful land, Pemetic, the Mountain Range.
A focal length of 72 mm, actually short telephotoland, which is surprising since it seems to be rather expansive, gave me the angle-of-view I wanted, tight in but inclusive of all the birches on both sides of the trail. An apreture of f/22 provided depth-of-field; and a shutter speed of 0.6 second at ISO 100 (the ambient light was lower than it might seem) gave me an overall medium exposure.
Perhaps you are not aware that Acadia is the oldest national park east of the Mississippi. By comparison to our western spaces, there is relatively little national parkland on the Atlantic side of Ole’ Man River This fact was dictated by our political history, as tortured as it is, but Acadia is nonetheless our commonwealth: an awesome obligation to protect and preserve.
This one brings back memories of one of my favorite places, and this is one of my favorite images from Acadia. It’s enchanted. This scene seems to be made for the spring colors. Thanks for the reminder that not everything has been touched by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Hi Nancy T. It was really good to chat with you this rainy day. You sounded happy and upbeat, and it made my heart smile. I was so delighted to have been able to share this wonderful location with you, and I’m very glad to hear that is was so special to you as well. I’ll reflect on that in June when we are there probably for the last time in a workshop setting. I think you are right about being made for spring colors, but I also know of its Beauty in autumn and it’s hard for me to choose between the two. Continue to take good care of yourself and stay safe.
Congratulations, Don, on your courage in taking on a new software platform! I like having a preview of This Week’s Image included in the email. Sadly, the link in the email took me only to an error page, “CTS Application – 404 Uh Oh… something happened.” But being stubborn (and having had to outwit obstinate software more than once in my life) I circumvented the offending link by entering your website manually through my browser, then clicking to This Week’s Image. Fear not, you’ll master it! But if you seem to get fewer comments this week than usual, that may be why.
Meanwhile, as to the image itself, it is so refreshing! When I stop to breathe deeply, even sitting at my computer, I swear I can smell fresh foliage, feel musty leaves underfoot, and hear rustling branches, with waves crashing in the distance.
P.S. The time stamp on Nancy’s and my messages seems to be a little flaky. I actually posted mine at 6:31 a.m. Arizona time. If I’m calculating time zones correctly, I believe the stated 1:31 pm is actually Greenwich Mean Time.
On a hunch, I tried another test. If I click on the LEFT HALF of the link, “This We…,” it works fine. I presume that’s what Nancy Tripp did. But if I click on the RIGHT HALF of the link, “…ek’s Image,” I get the error message!
Howdy Donald. I am just delighted that you took the time to express all of the considerations that occurred to you as the new Image roll-out unfolded on Sunday. Thanks very much for the affirmation of my willingness to step into a new technology platform. It was not something I did gleefully, but I’m sure I’ll persevere. I applaud your determination to find a workaround to all of the challenges that the new platform presented. I have always appreciated your scientist mind in these situations.
Glad you enjoyed the Image. One of these days I’d love to share twenty years of my discovery of the Beauty of MDI with you. I believe you would love it very much.
As you are discovering, I’m choosing to combine your three postings into a single response, hoping that will be acceptable to you. I have not yet solved the time stamp dilemma, but I’ll keep working on it until I do. The other challenges are under control.
Keep safe, my Friend, and walk in Beauty in Arizona and elsewhere.
Howdy Don, this is one of my favorite places in Arcadia. It is so peaceful and serene in any season of the year, my favorite is fall. The composition of leading line and diminishing perspective is what I think makes this image so compelling. I’ve created “Orton Effect” images in this spot (thanks to the tutelage from my mentor Ray Guillette) and it adds another layer of dreaminess to the scene. Thanks for sharing.
Hey Michael. It’s always a pleasure to have you with us and to read your thoughtful observations. I have come to love this wonderful location any time of the year, and it’s really difficult to choose between spring and fall. I’m enamored of both. Your thoughts on line and perspective are exactly what drew me to this spot, although there are so many places along the path where wonderful work can be done from wide angle to intimate landscape and macro as well. I, too, have enjoyed this place for the other creative possibilities it offers, such as “Orton Effect” and intentional camera movement. Being there in mid-June is a great time to experience all of these, and I’m looking forward to the coming adventure, even with all of the challenges that the increased visitation has created. Acadia will always be special and wonderful.
Stay safe and keep well.
Thank you, Everyone, for joining me for this conversation and for offering such thoughtful observations. As Mike Di Stefano opined, it is one of my favorite places in Acadia National Park. Because of its proximity to the Wild Gardens of Acadia, which is the Park’s botanical showplace, the Great Meadow and its white birch path don’t get the attention of their nearby attractions. It’s just as well as far as I am concerned, for it generally means that one can create there in relative isolation, especially if one goes fairly early in the morning when the light is still low. Places like the White Birch Path are also wonderful locations for other creative effects like Orton and intentional camera movement. We will be examining these in some upcoming Images, which I trust will be fun for Everyone. Walk in Beauty and take good care.