Wildlife photography can be unpredictable. Some days you fire off hundreds—or even thousands—of frames and only discover the hidden gems later on your computer screen. Other times, the instant you press the shutter, you know you’ve captured something special. Sentinel of the Sea is one of those moments for me—a puffin photograph that carried magic from the second it was made.

Project Puffin: A Conservation Success Story

Long before I ever set foot on a boat to photograph puffins, I was inspired by the story of **Project Puffin**. Once functionally extinct from U.S. coastlines due to overhunting and habitat loss, puffins had vanished from Maine’s islands. In the early 1970s, a dedicated team of conservationists began an ambitious effort to reintroduce them. It took decades of patience and persistence, but today puffins once again nest on select islands off the Maine coast.

For me, photographing puffins isn’t just about their charisma or charm—it’s about honoring the work that brought them back. Standing on a rocking boat decades after their reintroduction, I’m grateful that this small seabird has returned to Maine’s wild waters. This image is only possible because of the conservation vision that began before I was even born.

A Note about Ethics

Every image I create is guided by my belief in ethical wildlife photography. I never bait, stage, or disturb animals to get a shot. Puffins nest on fragile islands, and most of those areas are completely off-limits to protect the colonies. That’s why my work photographing puffins is done entirely from a boat, respecting the birds’ space and allowing them to live undisturbed in their natural environment. For me, capturing an authentic moment is just as important as protecting the subjects I photograph.

Photographing Puffins on Petit Manan: Patience at Sea

Only a handful of islands in Maine host puffin nesting colonies, and most are closed to human visitors. Aside from rare opportunities at Machias Seal Island, puffin photography typically happens from a boat. That’s how I found myself making the 45-minute ride out to **Petit Manan Island** in rolling two-foot seas.
On my first morning, excitement got the best of me. Puffins were everywhere—on the water, perched on rocks, darting overhead—and I broke my own rule. Instead of slowing down, I thoughtlessly fired away, capturing over 15,000 frames in just one outing. Back on land, I realized most of those shots were ordinary. The next morning, I promised myself to do better.

When I teach workshops or speak at photo clubs, I always stress the importance of visualizing the shot before taking it. Don’t just spray and pray —pause, look, plan. Day one, I failed at my own advice. Day two, with overcast skies and three-foot waves, I chose patience. I studied the scene, noticed a rocky outcropping where puffins were landing, and envisioned a single puffin silhouetted against the soft gray sky.

The boat rocked, the long lens magnified every movement, and the moment tested my steadiness. But eventually, the puffin stood and fluttered, the frame aligned, and I pressed the shutter. Unlike the first day, I took far fewer images—but the quality was better and Sentinel of the Sea was born.

Why This Image Matters: The Puffin as Protector

I titled this photograph Sentinel of the Sea because the puffin appears like a watchful guardian, standing tall on the rugged coastline. For me, it symbolizes more than one bird on a rock—it represents resilience, patience, and the responsibility we share as stewards of fragile species.

Just as the puffin stands sentinel over its colony, conservationists once stood guard over its future, ensuring puffins could return to their rightful home along Maine’s rocky shores. Without those efforts, this image wouldn’t exist.

For me, this photograph is both a celebration and a reminder: every time we invest in wildlife conservation, we create a future where wild voices return to the sea, and where we can once again witness nature’s sentinels holding their place on the edge of the world.

Explore Puffins of Maine

Featured