Waterfall Photography Simplified
Quickly learn how to shoot waterfall photography
Old Orchard Beach, Maine Photography
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At my own expense, I offer all of this to you: a humble tribute to Mother Gaia. It is my hope that you will spread my art and message to others, uplifting and inspiring their souls.
May my works guide photographers illuminating their path toward creating stunning and impactful images that show the raw beauty and essence of life in all its transcendent glory. —Pamela Goodyer
Old Orchard Beach, Maine Photography
PHOTOGRAPHY LOCATION
We arrived here during the night time. We pulled up to this pier, bursting with colors. There were too many lights on in the area to be able to do Milky Way photography. But even without the Milky Way, you can see it makes a dynamic photography subject. The Old Orchard Pier stretched out nearly 500 feet above the vast expanse of the ocean. It offers a variety of activities, such as dining, shopping, dancing, and live music performances. This beach town also has lifeguards on duty at all times. According to a resident, this sandy beach is the first one you’ll reach when entering Maine from Canada, making it a popular tourist destination.
WHERE TO DO PHOTOGRAPHY IN MAINE
During our journey up the coast of Maine, we were lucky to have five consecutive days of clear weather for our photography. We captured stunning shots during the day and night, including images of the Milky Way and lighthouses. Be sure to check out our other articles featuring Maine and Canada travel photography and our lighthouse and Milky Way article. If you’re considering photographing in Maine, these are some good articles. FEATURE ARTICLES
THE CREST MOTEL
The BEST place to stay when in the area photographing Orchard Beach is the. Crest Motel. We loved it here. It was within walking distance of the pier, and the price was fantastic. The indoor/outdoor pool with a hot tub made our night. It took all our aches and pains of hiking/photographing away. MORE DETAILS BELOW.
The indoor/outdoor pool with a hot tub is easily accessible from each room. The motel is very family friendly and only a few steps from the beach. The rooms are spotless.
The indoor/outdoor pool with a hot tub is easily accessible from each room. The motel is very family friendly and only a few steps from the beach. The rooms are spotless.
- Indoor heated pool
- In-ground hot tub
- Playground
- Gas grills & picnic tables
- Popcorn
- Free WiFi
WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO GO?
Months: The Milky Way Core can be seen from March to October, disappearing below the horizon for the rest of the year. In March, it appears in the early morning hours and becomes visible earlier each month. The best time to catch a glimpse of the core is during summer, when it can be seen immediately after sunset, providing an ideal viewing opportunity for stargazers and photographers. Since this is a beach town, it’s a good idea to go during the summer months, so you can enjoy the beach by the day and Milky Way photographer by night.
New Moon: Timing is crucial to catch a glimpse of the Milky Way. This celestial event can only be seen on clear nights without a visible moon, limiting the window for viewing.
Light Pollution: The best way to experience the full wonder of the Milky Way is to escape from areas with heavy light pollution. However, it may be possible to see some faint traces of the galaxy from places with mild artificial lighting; the most spectacular views can be found in remote locations far from cities and civilizations. Check out our How to Section for more details, including using a light pollution map to guide you to dark sky locations.
HOW LONG TO PHOTOGRAPH THIS AREA?
This area can be explored and photographed in just one day and night. If the weather is favorable, you can create stunning shots of the Milky Way in the surrounding areas. There’s a lot to do here, along with restaurants and shopping, so if it’s not only about photography, you could spend at least two days here with a camera in hand and doing a few other things.
WHAT PHOTOGRAPHY GEAR SHOULD I BRING?
- Full Frame Camera with wide-angle lens with f/2.8 or Greater Maximum Aperture
- Tripod
- Shutter release
- Light pollution filter
- Red light headlamp
- Dark sky map app and Milky Way tracking apps
- Bright Flashlight
- Light painting gear
SEE DETAILS BELOW
WHAT ESLE SHOULD I BRING?
Wear warm clothes in the cooler and cold months. Bring a backpack with all your camera equipment. Keep in mind that this is Maine, and at night, the temperatures will drop, even in the summer months. You might need to do some hiking in the sand, so be sure to wear appropriate shoes. If you have an extra hand, consider bringing along a thermos of coffee. It can also be helpful to bring a headlight, extra batteries, or a portable charger for your trip If you plan to do Milky Way photography.
WHAT ELSE CAN I DO THERE?
There is no shortage of activities to enjoy in and around Old Orchard Beach, from shopping and indoor karting to mini golf and weekly firework shows. For a more relaxing day, you can go fishing or take a bike ride on the Eastern Trail. And if thrill-seeking is your thing, there are amusement parks and parasailing options available as well. The possibilities are endless and the fun never stops in this vibrant beach town.
HOW DO I GET THERE?
For your GPS: The Pier – 2 Old Orchard St Old Orchard Beach, ME 04064
WHAT OTHER PHOTOGRAPHY IS NEARBY?
We highly suggest you pair this trip up with the East Point Lighthouse. You can also see all of our MAINE PHOTOGRAPHY LOCATIONS.
OLD ORCHARD BEACH PHOTOGRAPHY INFO
GEAR LIST FOR SHOOTING MILKY WAY
LIGHT POLLUTION MAP:
CAMERA:
You will need a camera to manually control your ISO, shutter speed, and aperture.
LENS:
A fast, wide-angle lens of 1.4 – 2.8 is ideal. If you use a 3.5 or higher (slower lens), you must increase the ISO. The higher the ISO, the more grain or digital noise or grain will appear in your photos.
TRIOPD:
A good, sturdy tripod is essential for night photography. If it gets windy, you will need a sturdy one. Remember that when you buy one, it should be sturdy enough to withstand the wind but small enough to fit in your suitcase.
SKY MAP:
Sky Guide is available through the iTunes Store for $1.99. It has a 5 out of 5-star rating on both the current (3.2) version (1200+ ratings) and all previous versions (8600+ ratings).
FLASHLIGHT:
Our choice is Coast brand for flashlights. The ideal flashlight will have high lumens, and you can zoom in and out on the light emitting from the flashlight. Get the HP7, PX45, or the G50. Ideally, go with the HP7.
MOON PHAZE MAP:
The best time to go is during a new moon; you want to be in the darkest area possible. The week before the new moon, when the moon has not risen, is a perfect time to go, so be sure to check the moonrise chart to see when the moon will be up.
REMOTE SHUTTER RELEASE:
When painting with light and over a 30-second exposure, you must have a shutter release to use your bulb mode. When exposing your pictures in general, you can use the remote release or use your camera’s built-in two-second timer.
CAMERA SETTINGS FOR MILKY WAY
ISO:
Start with ISO 1600 – 3200. This is just a common starting point, and you will adjust from here.
Shutter Speed – Remember, the earth is rotating. If you leave the shutter open for too long, you will see star trails that will not make for a crisp image. We want crisp, non-star trail images. Here is the formula to avoid star trails—the 500 rule – Divide 500 by the focal length of your lens. So, if you have a 24mm lens on a full-frame camera, you will set your shutter speed to 20 sec. (500/24 = 20.83). If you are using a crop sensor camera, first do the math of the crop sensor to find the focal length. Cannon is 1.6, Nikon is 1.5. Convert to full-frame focal length, then use the formula. Nikon 18mm x 1.5= 27mm – 500/27 = 18.51 seconds.
APERTURE:
Depth of field isn’t critical on these shots, but letting the light into the camera is; therefore, you should shoot wide open if. If the depth of field is essential to you, try not to go too high. (wide open =the lowest aperture your camera will allow). You will have to increase the ISO some, giving you digital noise.
SHUTTER SPEED:
Now that the ISO and aperture are set in manual mode, roll your shutter speed until your meter reads (0) zero. Take a test shot and adjust from there. Remember, the earth is rotating. If you leave the shutter open for too long, you will see star trails that will not make for a crisp image. You can make star trails specifically, but that’s not what we are going for here since we started with Milky Way photography. We want crisp, non-star trail images when doing this.
Here is the formula to avoid star trails—the 500 rule – Divide 500 by the focal length of your lens. So, if you have a 24mm lens on a full-frame camera, you will set your shutter speed to 20 sec. (500/24 = 20.83). If you are using a crop sensor camera, first do the math of the crop sensor to find the focal length. Cannon is 1.6, Nikon is 1.5. Convert to full-frame focal length, then use the formula. Nikon 18mm x 1.5= 27mm – 500/27 = 18.51 seconds.
WHITE BALANCE:
In live view mode, you can change your white balance settings and see what it will look like. You can shoot in shade or cloud mode as a standard setting and adjust things later when editing.
LIVE VIEW:
To focus in the dark, use your camera’s live view, hit the zoom button, and focus on a bright star. You can also use the infinity setting on your lens but do several test shots to determine accuracy. It can be off a little on some lenses. You can also light it up with a flashlight, focus, then gently, without touching the focus ring, put the camera in manual focus so it will not search for the focus. You must do this each time you move your camera to take your next angel.
WHEN TO VIEW THE MILKY WAY:
The best images are usually of the dense part of the Milky Way. We can see this part of the milk way in the southern sky. During March, April, and May, the Milky Way rises above the horizon in the pre-dawn hours. In June, at about 10:00 p.m., you will see the Milky Way. From July until October, you can see the Milky Way as soon as it sunsets, and it becomes dark enough to see about an hour after sunset. In November, the Milky Way no longer comes above the horizon. You will have to wait until March if you want to stay away really late or get up early to see her again.
See our Milky Way Hot Spot Locator and our Night Photography Information.
Orchard Beach Info ♦ Hotels ♦ Restaurants ♦ Camping ♦ Weather
AREA
INFORMATION
INFORMATION OLD ORCHARD BEACH
MAINE INFORMATION
CAMPING
WHERE TO CAMP
OLD ORCHARD BEACH CAMPGROUND
27 GO CAMPING WAY,
OLD ORCHARD BEACH, ME
Old Orchard Beach Campground has been family-owned and operated for 50 years. The Daigle family takes great pride in offering family camping at its finest. The campground comprises cabin rentals, deluxe RVs, and park model sites.
Would you like to be featured in an article as a place to stay while doing photography or ghost hunting? If so, please send us an email. You will be surprised at how affordable our prices can be.
FOOD & DINING
PIER PIZZA – OLD ORCHARD BEACH
The best place to eat is right at the entrance to the pier at Pier Pizza for a quick meal before or after shooting photography. They have great sauce. The Pier, Old Orchard Beach, Maine 04064
Sun to Thu 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Fri & Sat 11:00 AM – 11:30 PM
2 Old Orchard St
The Pier
Old Orchard Beach, ME 04064
HOTEL
INFORMATION
THE CREST HOTEL
We stayed here years ago when it had different owners. Old Orchard Beach, Maine, at 35 East Grand Avenue. This Old Orchard Beach motel sits on a 7-mile sandy beach. Area attractions like Palace Playland and the Pier are just a five-minute walk away. If you’re planning on photography here and looking for an affordable motel near the beach with great amenities and friendly staff, look no further than The Crest Motel.
Rooms and two-bedroom apartments from $165. They are steps away from the pier. What we liked best about this hotel was the convenient location to photograph the pier at night time, along with the indoor pool.
They offer our guests free WiFi, a heated indoor pool and hot tub, in-room microwaves, refrigerators, and air conditioning.
WEATHER
Check out the weather
Don’t forget that you can use a rain sleeve on your camera if it is raining. If it is bright and sunny, you want to use a low ISO, such as 100.
If you are doing photography along with your ghost hunting on cloudy days, you can do running water or waterfall photography to avoid the glaring sun. You can also use an ND filter to get a long exposure for dramatic effects, even in the sunshine. If you ghost hunt indoors in abandoned places, be careful!
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