Seufert's Scenes

What it Takes to Live on the Cape

I grew up in Chatham and I've worked a lot of jobs here, like anyone who's managed the trick of both growing up and living here.  No matter what sort of work I've done however, save my first one possibly, as a paper boy for the Cape Cod Times, it takes a certain hustle and shuffle to make it work, and I mean work in the real sense of paying bills, rent, food, outrageous gas prices, and the occasional Squire beer or ticket to the Wellfleet Drive-In.  Actually, I rode my bike through way too many snow storms and picked up too many blown away papers to not count that one, so include it.

Yes, being able to stay on the Cape these days takes either a lot of over-time and job juggling if you're staff employed or a lot of plain hard headedness if you're self-employed. I'm not landscaping, painting houses, or bartending these days.  No, I'm lucky enough to be running my own video and photography company and do it full time.  However,  I still need to hustle to make it work in that real sense.  We have city prices here without the city wages.  To cover it in my line of work I've always needed to land a certain number of jobs over the bridge.  There's just not enough new media work here to make it work.  But these days my life line is more often the internet cable than actual travel.

Let's use stock and editorial photos as a case in point.  When I come in from the field I cull my best shots out, edit them, and post them to Flickr, which is now just as commonly used by editorial staffers for photo research as it is for baby pictures.  Have aspirations for photography work yourself?  Don't dismiss sites like this as a hobbyist waste of your work day. 

Here's a sample of some of the recent jobs I've gotten via Flickr.

1. 

This was just published by Harpo Inc. at Oprah's web site as part of the March edition of Breathing Space.
www2.oprah.com/spiritself/insp/ss_insp_bs_main.jhtml

2. 

This image was pubished by the grassroots journalism magazine Arcwire as part of a study of the world's oceans.

"The study concludes that there is no oceanic area unaffected by human influence. Combined factors including over-fishing, coastal development, shipping traffic, and pollution run-off, threaten the existence of marine organisms in many ways, and make our impact on the oceans very complex. Scientists, in recent months, have also reported the giant "dead zone" off the coast of Washington is expanding, not to mention the vast islands of plastic trash forming in the Pacific."

See the image in use here.
<a href="http://arcwire.org/content/view/63/15/">arcwire.org/content/view/63/15/</a>

3.            

Published as the cover of Cape Healing Arts Magazine. See it in use here as a PDF
www.negreen.com/images/CHA_fall07-Negreen.pdf

4.

Published as part of the Wayside Inn's online tour of Chatham, featuring the photos of Christopher Seufert.

See the online slideshow here.
www.waysideinn.com/index.cfm?page=1

5.

This image was published as the cover of the NPACE Women's Health Conference on Cape Cod brochure.

See more about it here.
www.npace.org/pdf/CapeCod2007.pdf

6. 

This image of Race Point Beach in Provincetown has been published several times, most recently by the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce as the cover image for the Cape Cod Meeting and Planning Guide, available here www.CapeCodMeetings.com.

7. 

This photo was just published by the Journal of Light Construction (70,000 subscribers) to show how seriously the remaining structures on this stretch of beach are threatened by the growing cut, which is battered daily by the Atlantic Ocean. See more at www.jlconline.com.

8. 

his image of an oyster at Chatham's Forest St. Beach was published in Ralph Brennan's New Orleans Seafood Cook Book.

The book offers 12 recipes for the oyster lover. From appetizers like Baked Oysters Ralph to a main course of Oysters and Fettuccine, aficionados of this mollusk can design an entire meal around it -- except dessert, of course. The cookbook not only has recipes using oysters but a thorough preparation guide as well for those preparing this fruit of the sea for the first time.

See more here
http://ralphbrennancookbook.blogspot.com/2008/03/how-to-enjoy-oysters.html

9. 

Published as a promotional postcard of 3,000 by Sotheby's Realty International.
<a href="http://www.sothebysrealty.com/">www.sothebysrealty.com/</a>

I'll stop there, but you get the point..  Working like this is a lot more pleasant than plowing through snow, so don't dismiss the blog and social networking sites as something one does on weekends. These days there's real bread, butter, and gas being earned this way....  That's what I call Web 2.0.

All photographs are ©Christopher Seufert Photography. Contact me here for licensing this image.  My rates are very reasonable and I turnaround within minutes of your inquiry.   <a href="http://www.CapeCodPhoto.net">www.CapeCodPhoto.net</a>

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Got great images? Print great photos.

I entered one of my most popular images into a juried photo contest last week, sponsored by the Cape Cod Viewfinders Club.  I packed three of my best prints into the car and slid down Route 28 through the snow and ice to the Cape Cod Creative Arts Center on Crowell Rd in Chatham.  When I entered inside, I noted with a mixture of delight and dismay, the very high quality of the other 96 entries, and chalked my entry fee up to a good chance taken.  To my surprise the image won the blue ribbon, and a nice check (thank you very much).  Thanks to everyone for all of the great feedback and honest critiques at my web site over these months.   Blogging here has been a great experience and online feedback has really helped me to refine my compositions and shots.

What I've learned though, is that it's relatively easy to shoot a great digital image and present it well online to places like Cape Cod Today and Flickr.  But that's really only half the job.  Many photographers these days shoot great images, but do their prints poorly.

Photographers like Ansel Adams didn't have that luxury.  If they couldn't print, no one saw their image, pure and simple.  So, they didn't consider the photographer's job done on their images until they achieved a good print and that's one step that gets lost these days, from what I've seen. Lots of great images printed poorly.

I started a gallery on Main St. in Chatham this year and am going through this process now of getting the best images printed correctly, without noise in the sky, not too dark or bright, and no compression zig zags.  Some of them don't make it, quite honestly.  Swing by if you ever want to see how these online images get into the physical market.  This also allows me to make sure the my online images (printed on-demand to people I've never met) meet a certain level of quality.  This image is available here for example.

http://www.imagekind.com/Showartwork.aspx?IMID=75991a42-c173-42bf-a698-f5d59c0079ad

I highly recommend going to the exhibit, by the way, which is up until March 9.  All the prints are for sale and the quality is fantastic.

Cape Cod Creative Arts Center Exhibit

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Chatham's North Beach Hit Hard in Storm (Photos)

In an ongoing drama, erosion claimed another house on Sunday as a cottage on Chatham's North Beach washed off its foundation and floated into Chatham Harbor.

The losses of these beach cottages are economic for the owners, but more importantly, the loss of a way of life for Cape Codders in general.

Christopher Seufert is a journalist, documentary producer, and freelance photographer based in Chatham.  Hire him here

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Making the Old Cape Cod New Again

 If you shoot photos on the Cape it's very difficult to always find new fresh locations.  The new digital cameras make it so easy for everyone to shoot great images that many of our most beautiful places can suffer from being "over shot" by the public at large and "over-published" by the regions magazines and newspapers.   There are only so many angles a photographer, professional or amateur, can shoot at places like Provincetown's Pilgrim Monument, the Cape Cod canal, or Dennis' Scargo tower.  But don't give up, try a new approach.

One of the ways that I make a living as a photographer on the Cape is selling prints both online and at my photo gallery at 2469 Main Street in Chatham, so I've spent a lot of time shooting our most common landmarks from every new angle, aerial and otherwise, in order to come up with a memorable (and commercially viable) composition.  Coming from a core approach very much entrenched in the new digital technologies I've found that one overlooked approach is to use old-fashioned and outdated film equipment. The combination of using an old pinhole camera, Holga, or twin lens reflex with digital postprocessing in Adobe Photoshop can yield wholly original and powerful results, such as the below.

 Dory at Mill Pond (Chatham)

How many shots of rowboats and Cape Cod dorys have you seen?  I attempted a re-visioning of the subject from the dock at Pease Boatworks, which makes beautiful dorys like this.  Shot with a medium format Seagull 109, 6cm x 6cm Medium Format Twin Lens Reflex Camera with Built-in 75mm f/3.5 Lens (about $150 from Amazon).

 White Village Cottages (Truro)

This was shot while I was on break from shooting with a women's clothing catalog at these small cottages (rentede for $550 per week in the off-season) in September at Truro. You can see them in many Cape Cod magazines and in stock libraries like Getty Images.  I Captured  them with the same medium format Seagull 109, 6cm x 6cm Medium Format Twin Lens Reflex (TLR) Camera with Built-in 75mm f/3.5 Lens.

 Chatham Lighthouse

Living in Chatham I've made shooting new and unique images of the famous (and overshot) lighthouse a priority.  I've used many old cameras here, such as a 4 X 5 birch wood pinhole camera (cost of $6 per image), a cheap $25 Holga (cost $4 per image), and a Seagull Twin Lens Reflex (cost $4 per image).

Chatham Harbor Gillnetter 

This is one of my most popular stock images.  Shooting on film, the old fashioned way, need not require an expensive investment, though it may require a little training if you're coming from a strictly digital background.  I captured this Chatham gillnetter (and seagull with floating cloud) with a cheap toy Holga camera. You can get them for $25 at Amazon.

Have you run out of ways to shoot an already over shot Cape subject?  Use the opportunity to become a better photographer and learn a new piece of equipment, albeit an old fashioned one.  It'll add another tool to your kit.  Not only do I shoot these for my gallery in Chatham, but I now make it a habit to shoot one or two of these for my client jobs, giving them more creative options in their online proof book.

Swing by my gallery anytime at 2469 Main Street to see samples or visit me online at http://www.CapeCodPhoto.net.

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Getting Real Portraits and Head Shots.

Professional photographers on the Cape give lots of lip service to that magical Cape light, you know, those hours at dawn and dusk when the sun's rays take on a delicious, dramatic quality, through the play of the indirect angles of light.  Indeed getting that sublime and spontaneous light represented in a photo can be quite a technical accomplishment, being ready with the right lens and equipment, at the right spot, and at the right time, with just the right amount of luck on your side.

However, with all the portrait photographers here on the Cape, we don't hear much about what it takes to capture the essence of a person.  And Cape Cod people are pretty darned interesting.  Here are some of the recent head shots and portraits I've done for clients and some of the tricks I've leveraged in order to get the most 'authentic' image possible.  Most successful portraits are done with a surprising amount of deliberation, foresight, and processing. Here are a few that I happen to have online (Note: most beach portrait clients have their photos posted privately, removing their examples from consideration at CCT, which unfortunately requires that a photo have a web address for us bloggers.)

Above, Sarah's (Wellfleet) eye's are brought out by a circular blurring (Guassian Blur) of the background in Photoshop CS3.  Her red hair is also further offset by a blue toning of the background.   

Above, the character in sculptor Richard Koury's face and eyes is accentuated by a subtle black vignetting in Photoshop.  The subject was also positioned far enough away from the background fence (which had a great texture, by the way) so that it would not be distracting.  One note about the prop, also.  Those are not welding goggles but glasses used by climbers and hikers in the artic.  I got them at the Wellfleet Flea Market and they worked very well here.

Above, Actor Chris Kolb is lit naturally by facing him toward the setting sun. The warm orange light of the sun makes the subject pop in contrast to the blue and green of the marsh behind him (Cockle Cove Beach).

 
Above, the gaze of the late illustrator Edward Gorey gives this shot a documentary feel, rather than that of a portrait, where the subject gazes directly at the camera.  (See more at http://www.EdwardGoreyFilm.com)

Shooting without a flash is very difficult at the Melody Tent, where the stage revolves, creating a blurred subject in low light.  Compensating with faster camera settings can provide a great shot however, such as here, where the lack of flash creates a rich black background that offsets the passion of singer Richie Havens (shot for the International Fund for Animal Welfare). 

Above, the blue toning of this shot in postproduction gives this young filmmaker a hardened edge that belies the early stage of his career.  (He's the director of the documentary "Dying to Get In" http://www.UndocumentedImmigration.com)

The slow shutter setting in this portrait of musician Suzanne Vega does double duty here, brightening the interior of a very dark NYC cab  and also allowing the turning of the magazine pages to blur, keeping the focus on her face. (Shot for Minnesota Public Radio. See more at http://www.SuzanneVegaFilm.com) 

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Do you know of someone who'd make a great visual subject?  Let me know at my site.  I also provide shots of people for Cape Cod magazines and newspapers.  Photographer Christopher Seufert is a professional head shot / portrait photographer based in Chatham.  See more of his work at http://www.CapeCodPhoto.net

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Perspectives from the Air

Shooting aerial photos professionally, whether they're private residences, resorts, or public landmarks, is a great way for someone who grew up here like me to gain a whole new perspective about Cape Cod.

 I've recently shot a whole series of aerials of Chatham's new break (as of April, 2007), that were published in the Cape Cod Chronicle over the past few months, and have been struck by how apparent its effects on the environment and on the people of Chatham are in those images. Seen from the ocean, looking toward land, the potential effects of the break on the nearby Chatham Fish Pier and its fishing fleet can be seen clearly. With my eyes squinting through the view finder, closeups of each side of the break show that further threats to the remaining beach camps scattered there can indeed be inferred. The danger of the break to boat navigation is also visually confirmed in aerial photos of the capricious rips and shoals that swirl through the passage in different ways as the tide progresses.

In contrast, of course, the aerial perspective can also be deceiving. The beauty of the images from the air can belie the deadly power of the erosional forces that cast their spell daily, and indeed hourly, on this new channel. In this sequence shown above the two images of the break are shot relatively close together in time and do not actually provide much information to the serious researcher. Conclusions are difficult with such a short term study. Underlying causes and long term projections are not to be divined. Rather, there are many complex environmental forces at work here that need to be studied over time, and with a consistent methodology that is greater than such an isolated pairing of images.

The people of Chatham voted down appropriating money for a formal scientific study of the new break but hopefully they'll re-visit the idea. A couple of miles south at the South Way a boating channel recently closed and South Beach connected to the island of Monomoy, bringing to light some tough questions about who manages the new area- the Federal Wildlife Refuge system, the National Park Service, or the town of Chatham. This stretch of beach will continue, as it always has, to throw surprises at us, and the more effort way we make to understand the natural forces at work the better off we'll be, even if it's to acknowledge how much we may never quite understand. Chatham has one of the healthiest fishing industries in New England (granted, not saying much these days) and is worth such a public appropriatition of funds, even without consideration of the private landowners with properties at risk.

In the meantime I'll continue to go up by Cessna or by helicopter on my own projects and those for-hire and try to gain some perspective over time with these periodic images of a landscape in dynamic flux. So, on to the shameless plug. For those interested, I have an aerial photography book about Chatham coming out at the end of the month that will be called, Chatham By Air, and have a signing at Where the Sidewalk Ends on Saturday, October 27 from 2pm to 4pm. You can also see a sample of HD video from one of my trips up at the link below. Please ignore the flowery music, it's stock. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLl0-ZLMAd4

 Let me know with your comments below if you have suggestions for aerial subjects in Chatham that you'd like to see go under the lens in my upcoming book... Until next time,
Photographer Christopher Seufert

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When Private Goes Public

One of the great joys of being a professional photographer here on Cape Cod is being able to publicly share those incredible, private moments that we all inevitably have here in this beautiful place.  You know, those times when a deer breaks out of the underbrush on your evening walk, the sun flares briefly through a snow storm on some isolated sandspit, or a seal pokes his head out of the water unexpectedly 4 feet from you. 

Though moments like that are inspiring privately, and have an integrity all their own, being able to share them with another person is an additional, further satisfaction.  This is what motivates someone like me to master the technical craft of photography enough to shoot in even the most inhospitable conditions outside of the studio.  Personally, I have several different cameras that I bring with me most of the time, each outfitted for shooting under varying conditions, depending on the lens and camera specs.  Low light, macros, extreme telephoto, even aerial and underwater...

The above image is a personal favorite of mine, taken at the end of disappointing dawn shoot at Chatham Harbor. There's nothing worse than rousing at 4:30 in the bitter, cold morning to catch one of those sunrises that you normally miss in your 9 to 5 life, only to see uniformly drab, gray skies in your lens.  I've found however, that getting a good image can be more about seeing what's in front of you than waiting for that famous Cape Light at the magic hours of dawn and dusk.  Here, my patience was rewarded, as a brief flash of sunlight out on North Beach illuminated a passing rain squall behind one of the scallopers moored in the harbor. For the briefest of seconds, the color exploded, sunlight streamed dramatically, the ocean glowed with green electricity, and I was stomach-down on the dock ready with my long 200mm lens.  Then everything was gray again and I hit Larry's PX for a coffee.

This is one of my images that is currently showing (and up for sale I might add) as a solo exhibit at the Bank of Cape Cod in Hyannis, through the month of October. My thanks to them for awarding the show to me as part of their Discover Local Artists series, and also for providing a forum for taking these private moments into the public eye.  If you know any other institutions here that offer this sort of exhibit space please drop me a line!  I've also released a hard-cover photography book about Chatham this year, Chatham Views, the first book to feature Chatham exclusively, and I have a signing October 27 from 2pm to 4pm at Where the Sidewalk Ends.

My next project is a general Cape  Cod Photography book. I'd love to hear your suggestions from your favorite private spots.

Until next time,

Photographer Christopher Seufert 

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Wild Turkeys on the Cape

As a professional photographer on Cape Cod I sometimes freelance on visiting media projects in between my own commercial shoots.  This gives me a great opportunity to visit parts of the Cape I wouldn't normally get to.  I was working as a location scout in late September for a women's clothing catalog (Bedford Fair Lifestyles) when I came upon a family of 5 wild turkeys in the dunes of the Provincelands.  I grew up in Chatham but have never seen turkeys here in the wild before, though I had heard about them.  Last year I came across a family in a grave yard in Chatham and I'm starting to wonder if the populations are on the increase.  Certainly I spent more time in my youth here wandering the marshes and forests and never had such spottings. Here's what I've found about our quite newly visible turkeys...  Has anyone else spotted wild turkeys here?

See more about Christopher Seufert's photo services and his Cape Cod photography on this blog and at his website, CapeCodPhoto.net. 

(According to MassWildlife) Historical Background
At the time of colonial settlement the wild turkey was widespread in Massachusetts, ranging from Cape Cod to the Berkshires. As settlement progressed, however, hardwood forests were cut and the range of the turkey began to shrink. By the early 1800s turkeys were rare in the state, and the last known native bird was killed on Mt. Tom in 1851.

During the period following the Civil War, land use patterns began to change. Farms were abandoned, factory towns grew and the woodland began to regenerate. Between 1914 and 1947 there were at least four unsuccessful attempts made by MassWildlife to restore wild turkeys to Massachusetts. In 1960, reflecting on the success of turkey restoration efforts in other eastern states, MassWildlife, in cooperation with the University of Massachusetts, tried again - this time introducing 22 turkeys (mostly of game farm origin) into the Quabbin Reservation. After an initial surge, numbers dropped quickly and only a marginal population persisted. Game farm turkeys were clearly unsatisfactory for re-establishing a self-sustaining population.

On the other hand, releases of strictly wild birds proved highly successful. Between 1952 and 1974, the estimated nationwide turkey population grew from about 320,000 to 1,300,000, and the number of states permitting some form of open hunting season climbed from 15 to 39. Recognizing the need for redirecting its restoration project, MassWildlife made contact with other eastern states, and in 1972 was granted permission by New York to live-trap wild birds for transfer to Massachusetts. Between 1972 and 1973, 37 birds were captured in New York and released in southern Berkshire County. The new flock grew slowly at first, but expanded rapidly after about 1976 with the estimated fall 1978 population totaling about 1,000 birds. Supplemented by an overflow from adjacent states, turkeys ranged throughout most parts of Massachusetts west of the Connecticut River. In-state transplants of the birds, conducted from 1979 to 1996, expanded the range of the bird into the central, northeastern and southeastern parts of the state. The estimated fall population of turkeys now exceeds 15,000 birds!

Description and Natural History
The wild turkey is a strikingly handsome bird. Black to blackish-bronze with white wing bars, blackish-brown tail feathers and a bluish-gray to red head, "toms" or male wild turkeys weigh about 16 to 24 pounds. They sport a hair-like "beard" which protrudes from the breast bone. When a tom is strutting, its head turns a bright red. Females, called hens, are smaller - about 9 to 12 pounds.

Life History
Turkeys are active during the day, roosting at night to avoid predators. In residential areas, it is not uncommon for turkeys to roost on railings, roofs, or sometimes on vehicles. Gobbling, during breeding season, usually starts around mid-March, peaking in early May. This is when the males puff out their feathers, fan their tails and "strut their stuff." Hens lay eggs after the first mating. The nest is a shallow, leaf-lined depression on the ground, and contains 12 to 15 eggs. Hatching occurs after an incubation period of 28 days. Broods usually appear in the first week of June. The young poults are active as soon as they hatch. Predators such as foxes and goshawks may take a few young turkeys, and cold spring rains can easily chill the poorly-feathered young birds. Young turkeys remain with their mother for at least 4 to 5 months. Turkeys learn from each other, often by imitation, and, by associating with older more experienced birds, remember the layout of their home ranges and the location of various foods.

Food
Adult turkeys feed mainly on plant material, including acorns, nuts (especially hickory), grapes, skunk cabbage, barberry and other berries and tubers. They will scratch the ground seeking food. Poults feed heavily on insects during the summer. During the winter, open springs and seeps are an important source of food.

The Pecking Order
Wild turkeys live in flocks organized by pecking order. This pecking order is a social ranking in which each bird is dominant over or pecks on birds of lesser social status. Pecking order has implications for people and nuisance turkeys. Turkeys may attempt to dominate or attack people that the birds view as subordinates. This behavior is most noticeable during breeding season. Once bold behavior is established, it can be very difficult or impossible to change. Turkeys may also respond aggressively to shiny objects or reflections. Since the stimulus to drive away the "intruder" is strong, and since the reflection does not disappear when the turkey confronts it, the bird will often continually display towards or attack the reflection until changing light conditions cause it to vanish.

Feral Birds
In some areas, there are a feral flocks of pen-raisedturkeys. These are turkeys whose ancestors have been raised in captivity for generations. Although they look just like wild turkeys, they act tame and can become pests. It is illegal to release or possess these birds, but people sometimes do so in ignorance of the law. People should not feed these birds, or any wild turkeys as it will alter their shyness and interfere with their ability to find food on their own.

Turkey Hunting
Wild turkeys are prized gamebirds and have responded remarkably well to recent restoration and management programs. They have shown considerable adaptability to widely different habitat conditions, and, under responsible management programs, can provide high quality hunting without detriment to the overall population. Restoration efforts in Massachusetts have been directed toward the ultimate goal of a huntable population - a goal that was achieved in the spring of 1980 when the first Bay State spring gobbler season opened. The hunt is by permit only so that hunter density can be kept to an optimum low level - thus insuring a quality hunting experience. With eleven counties now open in spring, virtually all hunters who apply are successful in getting a permit.

Spring gobbler seasons are a challenging way to hunt these wary birds. Because toms can breed with several hens - and the season is timed to coincide with the period when the protected hens are already on their nests - gobblers can be taken without adversely affecting production. A well established turkey population can easily withstand a limited either-sex hunting season without adverse effects, however, and this is the case in western and central parts of the state where the first fall turkey season opened in 1990. Combined with the spring gobbler season, this either-sex fall season offers hunters greater opportunities to bag one of North America's premier game species. Spring or fall, turkey hunting requires a high degree of skill in imitating the calls of the birds to lure them within range. It is a challenge found in few other types of hunts, and with fewer than one in fifteen hunters being successful, the turkey is truly a bird of trophy status.

Turkeys are back in the Northeast, and they are here to stay thanks to the support of members of the National Wild Turkey Federation, sportsmen and other interested conservation minded citizens. Recently, the wild turkey was designated as the state's official game bird! Under careful management, the future looks bright for turkeys; sportsmen, naturalists and other wildlife enthusiasts welcome their return.

PREVENTING CONFLICTS WITH TURKEYS
DON'T FEED TURKEYS Keep wild things wild! Feeding, whether direct or indirect, can cause turkeys to act tame and may lead to bold or aggressive behavior, especially in the breeding season.
KEEP BIRD FEEDER AREAS CLEAN Use feeders designed to keep seed off the ground, as the seed attracts turkeys and other wild animals. Clean up spilled seed from other types of feeders daily. Remove feeders in the spring, as there is plenty of natural food available for all birds.
DON'T LET TURKEYS INTIMIDATE YOU Don't hesitate to scare or threaten a bold, aggressive turkey with loud noises, swatting with a broom or water sprayed from a hose. A dog on a leash is also an effective deterrent.
COVER WINDOWS OR OTHER REFLECTIVE OBJECTS If a turkey is pecking at a shiny object such as a vehicle or window, cover or otherwise disguise the object. Harass the bird by chasing it, squirting with a hose or other means of aggression.
PROTECT YOUR GARDENS AND CROPS You can harass turkeys searching for food in your gardens. Dogs tethered on a run can also be effective in scaring turkeys away from gardens. Netting is another option to employ. In agricultural situations, some scare devices are effective.
EDUCATE YOUR NEIGHBORS Pass this information along: Your efforts will be futile if neighbors are providing food for turkeys or neglecting to act boldly towards the birds. It requires the efforts of the entire neighborhood to help keep wild turkeys wild. Turkeys are important and valuable birds in Massachusetts. They are classified as game birds for which regulated hunting seasons and management programs have been established. If you are experiencing problems with turkeys or have any questions regarding them, contact your nearest MassWildlife District Office. http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfw_toc.htm

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Catching the Edward Hopper light in Provincetown

Hi,

It's September here on Cape Cod and the shadows are getting longer, as you can see by this recent photograph.  I was in Provincetown scouting locations for a women's clothing catalog and was struck by the dramatic Edward Hopper light striking the side of the Old Harbor Lifesaving Station.

The Old Harbor U.S. Life Saving Station was moved from Chatham to Provincetown in 1978 just weeks before the blizzard of '78, as a precaution against erosion.  After its retirement from the Lifesaving Service, and then the Coast Guard, it was owned by a private family.  It is now administered by the National Park Service's Cape Cod National Seashore, and is located on Race Point Beach. It is open to the public from 2:30pm to 5:00pm daily, beach fees apply. Parking is available at Race Point Beach. Every Thursday at 6:00pm in July and August, National Park Service rangers reenact the historic Beach Apparatus Drill employed by the U.S. Life-Saving Service to rescue shipwrecked mariners.

See more about Christopher Seufert's photo services and his Cape Cod photography on this blog and at his website, CapeCodPhoto.net. 

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