While New England’s northern mountains usually dominate autumn photography discussions, the region's coastline is just as captivating. In Maine, the coast is unexpectedly wooded, offering incredible leaf-peeping opportunities right by the ocean.
One such coastal place is Timber Point— a 97-acre wooded peninsula straddling Biddeford and Kennebunkport. Surrounded by a rocky shore, it features trail loops ranging from 1.4 to 2.4 miles, plus a low-tide land bridge that leads to 13-acre Timber Island.
On a misty fall morning, I headed there to capture the autumn colors. The overcast conditions provided perfect, even light that brought out vibrant foliage and moody coastal scenes. Beyond the nature trails, Timber Point hides the abandoned Ewing Estate. Built in the early 20th century by architect Charles Ewing and his wife, Louise, the decaying oceanfront structures once hosted prominent writers and artists and are now slowly being reclaimed by nature.
Between the quiet woodlands, salt marshes, rocky beaches, and ruins, Timber Point is a perfect spot for morning photography. The vibrant foliage makes for striking color shots, the misty shore translates wonderfully to black and white, and the ruins lend themselves to infrared photography.
My quick morning walk easily turned into a four-hour adventure, but I walked away with plenty of rewarding shots.
