The Maine I Love — Jay Perrotta

“When I took a job that entails traveling the coast of Maine to visit boatyards, boatbuilders, and lobster wharves and then spend time with the good people who inhabit these places, I was given an iPhone. During these travels I fell in love with our state and its people more deeply and personally than ever before. The phone made recording this relationship easy and, as I took images, I found myself searching: boats, small details, and people. In the details, I especially enjoy when I capture another human’s thinking: a problem solved, a difficulty overcome, a dream realized, abandoned, or—possibly—still in process. Most of all I like the people. I always ask permission before taking someone’s photo. It is a personal question for many people, and one that shows respect and interest in them as a person. They always say yes after a moment or two of bashful consideration and I think they feel honored which makes me inordinately happy.”