Portland, ME

Black and white photo of pigeons gathering near someone sitting on ledge.

What an amazing, amazing trip. When trying to figure out a location for an annual company team meetup, I got the idea in my head to suggest somewhere in Maine - I started doing some research and thought that Portland was a great mix of coastal town and "big city" enough for our group to get the best of both worlds, and I turned out to be right.


I had learned a lot about what I wanted out of my photography from my trip to Chicago just a few weeks before, so I went in with a fresh set of eyes and the experience served me very well. I love getting to spend a day or two getting my bearings for how a new location feels, and the fact that we walked everywhere really helped me hone in on the general vibe of Portland, one that I fell in love with and would love to revisit someday with my partner.


On our second day there we did a fantastic excursion with Portland Discover Tours around Portland Harbor and Casco Bay (highly, highly recommended!) so I was able to get some great pictures of the wildlife that would have otherwise been out of view (though I do have an odd fascination with city birds like pigeons). Getting to photograph around the boat itself and seeing more birds such as the Long-tailed Duck to add to my life list was a great way to spend a few hours.

Black and white photo of pigeons gathering near an urban ledge.
Gray pigeon standing in front of a bright red chair.
Cargo being lifted by crane onto a commercial fishing vessel.
Dramatic silhouette profile in black and white with bokeh lights in background.
Stacked blue and white barrels with forklift in industrial storage yard.
Japanese flag flying against modern building facade with red and white windows.
Flock of seabirds flying low over gray ocean water.
Tea towel with blue fish illustration hanging on clothesline.
View through window of boat steering controls and captain's hands.
Bird silhouetted against purple sunset sky with power lines and poles.
A small bird perches among white spring blossoms and green leaves against a bright blue sky.
A row of colorful townhouses with distinctive rooflines stands against a cloudy sky.
A figure sits on coastal rocks while fishing in dark blue waters.
A lighthouse stands in the distance, framed by rocky cliffs overlooking deep blue ocean waters.
A pigeon's wing casts shadows on a red surface as it takes flight.