Susan Hale says she's most inspired by the sunrises and sunsets, especially when clouds fill the sky.
Even if she’s traveled the world, reaching both polar regions, the Amazon, Africa, the Galapagos and more, when photographer Susan Hale comes home to Kent Island, MD, she finds the sunrises and sunsets on the Chesapeake Bay more beautiful than those captured anywhere else.
How did your interest in photography take shape?
I’ve taken travel photos my whole life, but it wasn’t until my husband and I moved to Kent Island in 1998 that I started to notice the changes in scenery and wildlife in my own backyard and wanted to capture them with a camera. During my career in real estate, I had put listing brochures together, so I knew I had an eye for visual appeal. After a trip to Africa in 2013, I bought a Canon Powershot camera with a super zoom lens and started zooming in on the wildlife around me on Kent Island.
What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned from photographing around the Bay?
I’ve learned that nothing remains the same, and yet it does. There’s a cadence to the appearance of wildlife like the emergence of tundra swans and canvasbacks, yet a magical reawakening when they return as if visiting for the first time. Where I live on a quiet cove on Shipping Creek off Eastern Bay, for example, the workboats continue to anchor, switching gear from crabbing to oystering and back, but each time I see it as if for the first time. There’s a predictable beauty that I’ve come to respect.
Is there a local scene that’s most inspiring?
Without question, I’m most inspired by the sunrises and sunsets, especially when clouds fill the sky. The light bounces off the sky and reflects on the water every way imaginable. And adding to this is the wonderful lighting on the workboats both morning and evening, especially when the water is like glass. Summer thunderstorms are also great to capture.
What does someone notice first in your photographs?
I like to think that no matter what the subject is people notice the attention to detail and color of the scene or subject. Many followers love that I am sharing something they would never be able to experience firsthand. There are others who once lived in the area and find that my photographs remind them of a special time in their life.
How did your love of sailing factor in?
My father bought a Thistle sailboat when I was young, and we joined the local sailing club, the Rochester (NY) Canoe Club, where there was a fleet of Thistles. That’s where I met my husband. We started racing and continued to race Thistles every year until 2020. Traveling across the country to national Thistle races gave me a great opportunity to explore my interest in photographing landscapes and different sailing venues.
Where can people learn more about your work?
The best place is on my Facebook page as “Chesapeake Scenes – Susan Hale’s Photos” or the website chesapeakescenesphotography.com. I post daily on the Facebook page which is where followers and those wishing to purchase can contact me. I prefer to speak to customers directly to agree upon the most appealing format and size for the photograph. Email me. My works have been used in various branded materials including five- by seven-inch notecards you can find in the gift shop at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club in Stevensville. I also participate in art shows around the area.
How have your works been recognized?
In 2022, I received honorable mention in the annual Maryland Photography Alliance photo contest with “A Trio of Icons,” a picture of the Pride of Baltimore II under the Bay Bridge with the Sandy Point Lighthouse in the background. Recently, I was a winner for the annual Shore Rivers Photo Contest, representing the Miles, Wye, and Eastern Bay category with a photo of the log canoe Jay Dee crossing the finish line with sailors pumping fists in celebration.
What advice would you give someone starting out?
Get out there with your camera and capture what you see right in front of you. Look for the normal, but from a new angle. My husband and I are lifelong birders giving me an endless subject to photograph, but I also love shooting crab boats, log canoes, and landscapes. I keep my camera on a rocking chair by the front door, so I don’t miss a fox running through the front yard or an eagle perched in a tree. I want to be ready to run out the door at any minute.
Interview by Gwen Mayes
About the Author: Gwen Mayes, is a writer, life coach, workshop host, and docent for the Annapolis Maritime Museum and Park. Find more about her work at anchortoself.com.
