Steve St.Lawrence Photography

09/04/2026

Happy Friday all,

My grandparents had a camp on Phillips Lake and we had the privilege of staying there often as kids. My grandfather used to get up before sunrise and sit near the window to watch the sunrise light up the lake. I used to sneak out of my bedroom and go sit with him. We'd stare at the glass like surface trying to be the first to see a fish jump or a loon slowly swim by the camp. The loons call echoing around the lake. We desperately wanted a decoder to know what those calls meant. That was a birth of my fascination with loons.

When I was old enough to drive the boat, I'd go out on the lake trying to get closer. I was young and inexperienced and the loons wanted no part of that noisy boat or me. I used to admire them from afar as that was where I saw them from most of the time, until I started to understand animal behavior and how to approach them in a non-treathening way. I bought a kayak and would paddle up the lake at sunrise. I saw quietly, watched and learned. It pays to be a student and be teachable. Since that time I have had many incredible experiences with loons. I have been a paddle's length away from them on numerous occasions. The closer you get the more intricate and and beautiful their plumage is. My joke in describing it is that God had His French beret on when he was designing the loon. Some stripes over here, some rectangles there and topped off with dots that look like sequins.....mais oui!!! And when you get real close, you find out their head is actually a deep forest green that usually looks black because the feathers are almost always wet. But the piece de resistence are their ruby red eyes. Manifique!

When I first started photographing loons I had no idea that they had red eyes. I found out it aids their underwater vision. When I saw my photos I saw the red eye and thought it was same as human red eye caused by flash but was confused as I wasn't using flash. I spent HOURS removing the red eye to "fix" my photos only to find out they really have red eyes! Back then the changes could not be reversed. It was a painful lesson. I feel like we have to be able to laugh at ourselves and share those stories. It brings up closer together as humans and we find out we are more alike than we are different.

Being curious and teachable has allowed me to learn how to get much better loon photos and have amazing experiences in their company.

Happy Labor Day weekend. Be safe if travelling!

This photo is available to purchase here:

https://www.stevestl.com/The-Friday-Photo/i-xPH7KwP/buy

08/31/2026

Hooked on oysters. Port Clyde, Maine

08/29/2026

The iconic fishing shacks on fishing shacks at Fisherman's Point in Cape Elizabeth, ME were built in the 1870's. They were nestled away on a point not easily found by tourists. It took me a number of trips to find them. During a storm 2 days before Christmas in 2022 I found them in heavy fog and rain and was able to create a moody image. 3 weeks later, to the day, they would be lost forever, when an epic and historic storm swallowed them up and took them out to sea.

08/29/2026

08/28/2026

The Friday Photo 08.28.26
Happy Friday all,
For the first time in a very long time I got skunked on a photo trip. Not a single shot taken. I travelled a familiar route. starting at Plum Island and continuing all the way to Nubble Light. Plum Island was as barren as I have ever seen. Marshes extremely dried out and I saw only a handful of small birds. My travels along Route 1 were no better. I thought about trying to catch the full moon at Nubble but it was swarming with tourists. I had been watching the fair weather clouds and towards sunset they gathered in the western sky to product one of the most vibrant pink and purple sunsets but I could find nowhere with an unobstructed view to compose it properly. It was torture.

I am attending a charity event on Saturday and I am donating a couple of photos for the cause. I wanted them to be NH based for the audience. In my humble opinion, there is nothing more NH than Mount Washington. I was blessed with an amazing day last year while in the White Mountains. The clouds hanging above Mount Washington were spectacular and added mood to the scenic. The dappled light enhanced the 3D effect across the valley and leads the viewers eye to the iconic tower on the summit. The proceeds will be going to a scholarship for a worthy student at Plymouth State College. That is where my love affair with the White Mountains started many years ago and is as strong today as it was at first sight.

It's days you put in the miles and get skunked that make you truly appreciate when you are able to see something amazing in your viewfinder and preserve the moment. You start to realize how many photos truly are once in a lifetime. Those clouds will only look just like that once. The dappled light looked different 2 minutes later. As good as the feeling is when you "get the shot", there is a joy and an energy to being out in the world in search of opportunities. The lessons learned along the way about people, places, animals, nature, weather and more are incredible. They help you see the world in a far more enlightened way. I remain eternally grateful for the privilege to get out and search for the beauty in the world.

September is getting ready to knock on the front door. Squeeze that last bit of juice out of August while you can.

This photo is available for purchase here:
https://www.stevestl.com/The-Friday-Photo/i-jPh5vXc/buy

08/23/2026

Sometimes words are not needed.

08/21/2026

The Friday Photo 08.21.26
Happy Friday all,
There's a place on the Route 3 on Mount Desert Island called the Happy Clam Shack that has been around as long as I can remember. It is a quintessentially Maine food shack. It's a tiny, hole in the wall spot that is generally packed with cars from May to October. There are somewhere close to 100 lobster buoys hanging from the outside walls of the shack. They share space with the object of the affection, a large painted red lobster. It's an icon.

I have travelled past it hundreds of times over the last 50 years. Many times it has been in the dark of pre-dawn as I am scrambling to get to Acadia for sunrise. By the time I am heading home, the parking lot is filled with a mix of locals and tourists and the angle of the sun isn't all that complementary. It's been hard to photograph this icon without it ending up looking like just a snapshot. But I will hip you to a little secret. Lean in closer so I don't have to yell. We can't let everyone know. Two words. Are you ready? Sunday morning. That's right, Sunday Morning, early. That's the day that most people sleep in. Whether it's city or country, if you want empty roads, empty parking lots and most places to yourself, Sunday morning. Let's keep this on the down low, just between us.

I would love to tell you I planned for the sun to be in the exact perfect spot but that would be a lie. I got lucky. I have also noticed that the harder I get, the "luckier" I get. It's interesting how the road to nowhere trips usually involve divine intervention that leads me to something cool. It's happened too often to be coincidence. I hope you enjoy the Happy Clam Shack looking like it's dressed for the prom.

Enjoy the weekend!

This photo is available for purchase here;
https://www.stevestl.com/The-Friday-Photo/i-vVBgWLF/buy

08/20/2026

Duck crossing - Bar Harbor, ME

08/17/2026

Mom's been gone for 4 years and I still look for opportunities to find water lilies to share.

08/14/2026

FotoFest - Saturday, August 15th 10am - 3pm