Goals + a Little Luck

Portland Head Light

Do you leave on a photo shoot or a trip with photographic goals?  If not I recommend you repent and change your ways.  I haven't taken a poll but I'd be willing to bet that a huge majority of the photographers that took the photographs that you are awed by set out with photographic goals.  I'd also be willing to bet that many if not most of the photos you are awed by involved as much luck as it did planning and setting goals.  

Sure there are those who live near those iconic places or somewhere where the beauty is extraordinary and can plot and plan and be there when that perfect storm moves in or perfect sunrise or sunset light, but there are tens of thousands of the rest of us who have part of one day, maybe just a couple hours at a particular site to try to get the best shot we can get.

Today's shot is one of the Portland Head Lighthouse on the coast of Maine.  Many say it is the most photographed lighthouse in the world.  However, straight line distance from where I wake up every morning and the Portland Head Lighthouse is about 2,135 Miles.  Not a place I can get to on a whim after checking the weather report.  But, I love photographing in New England and I've been to the Portland Head Lighthouse at least two or three times before, so as I was planning what will probably be my last trip there I set a goal to get my best shot ever of this iconic location.  Fortunately on this trip we were staying only about 35 miles away near Ogunquit, Maine so I was able to get to the lighthouse about three times.

With my goal in mind we headed up to Cape Elizabeth on our first day in Maine and when I got there the first time on this trip I was excited to see that a little luck had come my way and there was a hint of fog to add some interest to the location.

Is this my very best shot of Portland Head?  I don't know, but it's one of my favorites  I will be posting this one as well as others on my Flickr page and on my Facebook page, and I might post more here.  The point is that this shot, as well as others, came about only because I had set a goal and I had a little luck. 

Your comments and questions are always read and appreciated. Let me hear from you.

Post a Comment

I look forward to hearing from you!

Copyright © Scott Law Photography. Designed by OddThemes