Lobster Boats, Bar Harbor, Maine. A timeless tradition and way of life. boats water sunlight canvas print metal print

The first time I laid eyes on Bar Harbor from this vantage point, I felt like I had stepped into a painting. The harbor stretched before me, a canvas of cobalt water dotted with lobster boats, each one anchored in rhythm with the tides. Some were bright white, others deep black or crimson, their colors bold against the morning blue. They floated in quiet unity, waiting—just like the generations of fishermen before them.

I was here chasing light with my lens, but what I found was something deeper: a heartbeat that’s been pulsing here since the 1800s. Bar Harbor wasn't always the tourist haven it is today. Long before the cruise ships and t-shirt shops, this place was driven by salt, sweat, and the briny promise of lobster. The Wabanaki people fished these waters first, long before any European sails broke the horizon. Later, it was the tough Yankee fishermen who built the lobster trade into a way of life.

By the mid-19th century, lobster had gone from being peasant food—once fed to prisoners and servants—to a delicacy prized on white tablecloths. And Bar Harbor, with its rocky shores and cold, clean waters, became one of the most fertile harvesting grounds. The boats in my viewfinder, many still hand-painted by the families who run them, are part of that living tradition. The traps they set—about 200 to 800 per license—are still hauled up the old-fashioned way, with skill and a deep knowledge of the sea

As I clicked the shutter, I felt a strange kinship with them. We’re both hunters in a way—me chasing fleeting moments of beauty, them chasing the quiet treasures beneath the tide. In that moment, I knew I’d captured more than just a seascape. I had captured the legacy of a town, a people, and a sea that gives and takes with equal measure.

My name is Alec Halstead. I’m a local Hudson Valley photographer and a veteran. Over the years, I’ve exhibited my work in galleries, been published in newspapers and magazines, and sold prints. A portion of every sale goes to veterans' organizations—my way of giving back to those who’ve walked a similar path. Photography has not only given me a new purpose but also a way to share the beauty of the world while supporting those who have served.

. Production and Shipping Time:

Glossy Photo Paper: 5 days for printing, 5 days for shipping.

Ready-to-Hang Canvas: 5 days for printing, 5 days for shipping.

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1) Premium Glossy Photo Paper are high quality, professional paper-prints.

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Premium Glossy Photo Paper will last a long time.

This option is available in 8x10 inches, 11x14 inches or 16x20 inches.

They are designed to be placed in a glass frame, which can be purchased separately (starting at a few dollars at your local Target or online).

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Gorgeous finished look. It comes out of the shipping box finished and ready to hang with a simple nail in the wall.

Canvas Prints are a well-known, high-end way of displaying photographs.

1.5 inch thick wooden stretcher-bars that give it shape, in the same way an oil painting is traditionally assembled. There are no staples or ugly lines visible on the sides (very important).

Estimated delivery time for printing, assembling, packing and shipping is around 10 days.

3) Ready to Hang Canvas (split into 3 panels)

This is for larger pieces, and the photograph is split into 3 even panels, 3 separate canvas panels which put together make a single large image.

This gives a modern look, and allows spectacularly large sizes on your wall!

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UV resistant ink prevents fading. All metal sizes are ready to hang on your wall, right out of the box.

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