One afternoon I was driving home after a day photographing on a small island in the Muscle Ridge Channel. It was a nice day, out there with friends with no one else around, exploring an island upon which I had never before set foot.

As I crossed the river in South Thomaston, with dusk coming on fast, I saw a boat tied up at the wharf there and, across the river the church, glowing against the rapidly darkening sky. The working deck of the boat was lit up inside and from the road I could see two guys hustling to get their gear aboard as the tide was rising to refloat the boat after a day of being grounded out for fiberglass work. So I introduced myself and they sort of knew who I was and allowed that it was okay.

More Sightings

Noontide

Hang Together

Les Graves

Abandon

Noon, January

And on a basic level, that’s it… that’s about all there is to it.

But I knew, as I was standing there on the top of the wheelhouse, shooting down, that I really had something special going on. The light, the light… it’s always about the light.
I have to admit to really liking this one… maybe that’s a function of it being so recent and the excitement of the moment still upon me, but I think there’s more to it than that. I really do like this one… the slight blur of movement as they lug the bait tote across the deck, the Maxfield Parrish light in the sky, the contrast of the harsh light and frenzied activity against the cool and calm of the background.

I was excited enough about this image to immediately email it to a couple of friends. One, knowing something about life's turmoil, simply responded, “Messy in the foreground; serenity on the horizon.”

He nailed it.

Ralston Gallery is in Rockport Village, at 23 Main Street, Rockport. Open Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. -6 p.m., or by chance or appointment. Peter and Terri live only a minute away and are more than happy to open on short notice. Phone: 230-7225; Gallery Manager, Terri Ralston.

 Peter Ralston's work has been seen in countless books and magazines, featured on network television and has been exhibited in galleries, collections and museums throughout the United Sates and abroad. In 2003, Peter received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Colby College in recognition for his photography work and for cofounding the Island Institute. Ralston Gallery opened in 2010, at the head of Rockport Harbor. Peter also offers photography workshops in coastal Maine, Newfoundland and Labrador.