Yesterday was one of those rare summer days in Maine, more common in August than in July, when clear cool air from Canada was pushing down across the state. Temps just touching 80. Low humidity immediately after a night of rain. Amazing clouds against a blue summer sky. And light that seemed to gently etch every detail. I had to stop my scooter on the bridge over the Mousam River in Kennebunk, on my way back from my lunch-hour dragon hunt at Roger’s Pond, and catch the moment…several moments as it turned out…as I also crossed the road to get the Mousam without the bridge.

Shooting at the wide end of the Canon SX40HS zoom, 24mm equivalent field of view, and with the camera not level with the horizon, always leads to some interesting distortions…which are very evident in a shot with the straight line verticals of buildings. While it is common these days, and pretty well accepted, to see images with the wide angle and perspective distortions left in, I used the Lens Corrections panel in Lightroom to pull the building back up straight and correct some curvature due to lens distortions. The result is not perfect, but it is more natural, I think, than leaving the building leaning out over the bridge. 🙂

From the other side of the bridge, looking directly out over the dam, the mill pond on the Mousam reaches away under that same sky, with interesting shadows and reflections. I left just a corner of the building in to anchor that side (again using Lens Correction in Lighroom for the angles).

Both shots, Canon SX40HS. Program with iContrast and –1/3EV exposure compensation. I exposed for the sky, tipping the camera up and locking exposure before recomposing for the shot, and brought foreground shadows up in Lightroom.