Massachusetts Photographic Destinations
Let me help you to find a great location in Massachusetts for your next photography adventure. I will list many lesser known destinations, as well as the famous “Icon Locations” for photography. I will provide photos (Lots of Photos), location information, consisting of what there is to photograph as well as other information about the destination. I will give costs, maps, directions, contact information, and other essential information for a successful photo trip. I will only post for locations that I have personally photographed to insure a quality guide to great locations for photography in Massachusetts.
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view. Click on a pushpin for more information about the Photographic Destination, then click on the title to go to the location page.
Massachusetts Photographic Destinations
Massachusetts Destinations
Motif No. 1 Rockport Harbor
Motif Number 1, located on Bradley Wharf in the harbor town of Rockport, Massachusetts, is a replica of a former fishing shack well known to students of art and art history as “the most often-painted building in America.” The original structure was built in 1840 and destroyed in the Blizzard of 1978,but an exact replica was constructed that same year.
Built in the 1840s as Rockport was becoming home to a colony of artists and settlement of fishermen, the shack became a favorite subject of painters due to the composition and lighting of its location as well as being a symbol of New England maritime life. Painter Lester Hornby (1882–1956) is believed to be the first to call the shack “Motif Number 1,” a reference to its being the favorite subject of the town’s painters, and the name achieved general acceptance.
Rockport is a seaside town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States.
Today Rockport is primarily a suburban residential and tourist town, but it is still home to a number of lobster fishermen and artists. Its rocky beaches and seaside parks are a favorite place for tourists from the Greater Boston Area and Rhode Island among other places.
Where it is:
Rockport is located approximately 40 miles northeast of Boston at the tip of the Cape Ann peninsula. Rockport borders Gloucester to its west, and is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean in all other directions.
Follow Route 128 North to Rockport/Gloucester. In Gloucester, you will come upon 2 rotaries (also known as roundabouts or traffic circles), continue straight through both rotaries. Follow the signs toward Rockport past the second rotary, to the first traffic light. This is Route 127 North, (Eastern Avenue.) Turn left onto Route 127 and follow for 3.0 miles.
Travel Note About Interstate 95 and Route 128: Routes 128 and 95 are the same highway from southern Massachusetts until Peabody, MA. In Peabody, Route 95 branches off to the right toward New Hampshire and Maine. When traveling north on Interstate 95/Rte. 128, you must stay on Route 128 by keeping to the left at this point (this is exit #45).
VIA Route 95 North: Follow directions to Rockport above.
VIA Route 95 South: From New Hampshire, follow Route 95 South to Exit #54 in Georgetown, MA. This is Route 133 East, go left at top of off-ramp and follow Route 133 East through Rowley, Ipswich, and Essex to Gloucester where there is an on-ramp to Route 128 North. Follow directions to Rockport above.
VIA Route 93 North: From Boston, follow Route 93 North to Exit #37A onto Route 128/95 North. Follow directions to Rockport above.
VIA Route 93 South: From New Hampshire, follow Route 93 South to exit 37A onto Route 128/95 North. Follow directions to Rockport above.
VIA Route 90 East (Mass Turnpike): Follow Route 90 East to Exit #14 onto Route 128/95 North. Follow directions to Rockport above.
Maps:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, click and drag the to move the map, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view.
Parking:
Metered Parking
$1.00 per hour except on Beach Street which is $2.00 per hour.
FREE Parking Facility
Blue Gate Meadow Parking Lot
5 Blue Gate Ln., Rockport, MA
Located as you arrive in Rockport on Route 127. Watch for parking signs when you enter Rockport. The lot entrance is approximately 1 and 1/2 miles from the Gloucester/Rockport line on Route 127 (Upper Main Street) and about 1/4 mile past the Rockport Visitor Information Center. From the parking lot, it is about a 3/4 mile walk or trolley ride to downtown Rockport.
Park N’ Ride Trolley Shuttle
Park FREE at the Blue Gate Meadow Parking Lot and, for a nominal free, enjoy a scenic ride to our village on the CATA Trolley. The shuttle runs between the parking lot and downtown Rockport costs $1/person each way ($.50 for Seniors 60 years of age and older and Disabled; children under five free). From July 1 through Labor Day the trolley runs approximately every 15 to 20 minutes from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Sundays through Wednesdays, and from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
GPS:
42°39’33.876″ N 70°36’53.946″ W
Cost:
There is no cost to visit the Harbor of the Motif No. 1.
Hours:
There are no established hours, the area is accessible to the public at all times.
Facilities:
There are three public restrooms in Rockport, MA.
Front Beach On Beach St. (Seasonal)
6:00 AM – 8:00 PM Daily
Back Beach On Beach St. (Seasonal, Not Operating for 2020 Season)
6:00 AM – 7:00 PM Daily
T-Wharf At 3 T-Wharf (Year Round)
6:00 AM – 9:00 PM Daily
For off season hours contact the Rockport DPW – 978-546-3525.
Location Contact Information:
Rockport Visitor Center (Seasonal):
Upper Main Street (Rt. 127)
Rockport, MA 01966
Phone: 978-546-9372 Email: info@capeannchamber.com
Motif No. 1 Rockport Harbor Photo Gallery
Click Here for full page gallery
More Photographic Destinations in Massachusetts:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view. Click on a pushpin for more information about the Photographic Destination, then click on the title to go to the location page.
Click Here for Photographic Destinations by State
All the information in this post was believed to be accurate at the time it was published. Please be sure to double check with the location before relying on this information as everything changes over time, especially hours, prices, and whether the location is still open.
Great Places for Great Photos
Let me help you to find a great location for your next photography adventure. I will list many lesser-known destinations, as well as the famous "Icon Locations" for photography. I will provide photos (Lots of Photos), location information, consisting of what there is to photograph as well as other information about the destination. I will give costs, maps, directions, contact information, and other essential information for a successful photo trip. I will only post for locations that I have personally photographed to ensure a quality guide to great locations for photography.
If you know of great places that are not posted, please send me the details, I may just decide that is a place I need to go!
Greg Disch is a freelance photographer located in Arkansas. Greg specializes in nature, scenic, wildlife, and other outdoor subjects in Arkansas and other areas of the country. Most of the images on this site are available for sale as prints, personal use, or rights managed stock photos.
Greg offers both classroom instruction and in the field hands on photographic workshops. Classroom sessions are normally held in Fort Smith Arkansas, but arrangements can be made to bring a class to your group.
All classes and workshops have small class sizes designed to provide an optimum student to instructor ratio, where you can get the personal attention, you need. Most classes and workshops are limited to a maximum of six participants and will be held with a minimum of only two.
If you are looking for a wonderful opportunity to get personal individual instruction, I do private workshops and classes at a location of your choice, whether doing a location photo shoot, coming to your home or business, traveling across the country on a road trip, or at my classroom. This is a fantastic way to learn digital workflow and be sure that your computer equipment is properly configured for optimum performance. [...]Read more...
