Benjamin Williamson

Bath - "My obsession with photography started in 2012 while working nights tending bar at the Sea Dog in Topsham, Maine. At first I simply wanted to capture the beauty I was coming across on hikes and walks near home. I quickly discovered that a photograph could be more than just a document. It was like putting down my experiences in a visual diary, using the tools of the digital darkroom to bring out the thoughts and feelings I was having. Like my other love, music, it could be a creative and expressive act.

I began sharing my photos with friends and customers at the bar, and eventually on social media. Likes and comments turned into requests for prints and businesses wanting to license images for commercial use. Within two years of picking up a camera, this hobby evolved into a full-time profession when I was offered a position at Down East Magazine. Fast forward to today and my intention, and approach remains much the same. This is my visual diary. I want to show the things that are important to me. I want to share the awe and sense of deep connection I feel to the beauty that abounds all around us. A decade after picking up a camera, my passion for photography has never been stronger.

I live in Bath, Maine with my wife, three small children, a dog and a cat. My greatest pleasure is to share the joy and love of photography with others. To that end, I spend most of my energy leading photography workshops across Maine, from the Allagash to Monhegan Island, as well as locations further afield such as Olympic National Park and the Utah desert. I consider myself incredibly lucky to be doing this for a living. "