One of the attractions of New England is exploring the coastlines of five of its six states. Most of the coastline is made up of small towns and villages that began as fishing villages on the Atlantic Ocean. One of my favorite stops in New England is the small town of Rockport, MA, located at the tip of Cape Ann, about 40 miles northeast of Boston. It has a quaint harbor and is home to one of the most recognizable fishing shacks in the world. It got its fame by being one of the most often painted (and probably photographed) fishing stacks in America. Legend has it that the shack got its name by the famous artist and teacher Lester Hornby. He responded to a student who submitted a drawing of the shack for review with the words, "What-Motif No 1 again?" Motif No 1 was originally built in 1840 and was destroyed in the Blizzard of 1978. It was rebuilt later that year and is still a popular subject for artists and photographers alike.
Most compositions of Motif No 1 are close-ups. For this photo, I decided to shoot the small Rockport Harbor showing the bright red fishing shack in the background. To me, this is an example of a quintessential New England coastal town.