We revisit the best work from our photographers in the last year.
Ben McCanna
Ben McCanna has been a staff photographer and occasional writer at the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram since 2015 and has been working for newspapers since 2010.
Ben studied creative writing and literature at Emerson College and embarked on a decade-long career in publishing after graduating in 1997. In his mid 30s, Ben shifted careers by taking a job as a reporter at a small newspaper in northwest Colorado and never looked back. Over the years, he slowly transitioned from writer to photographer - his true passion.
Ben is a 2018 winner of an Award of Excellence from Pictures of the Year International. He lives on Peaks Island with his wife, a nurse practitioner, and two sons.
Posted inLocal & State
In photos: Lighting up Portland’s winter wonderland
When the nights are long and cold, Portland’s winter months are brightened with the art of Pandora LaCasse.
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Posted inLocal & State, News
In photos: Portland’s holiday tree makes its jolly journey from Deering to Monument Square
On Wednesday morning, a 40-foot blue spruce tree was cut from a yard in Portland’s Deering neighborhood and trucked to Monument Square, where it was installed as the city’s 2024 tree for the holiday season. Staff photographer Ben McCanna was there to follow it every step of the way.
Posted inArts & Entertainment, Life & Culture, Local & State
Winter’s aglow in this garden wonderland
It’s the 10th anniversary of Gardens Aglow at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. The light show has attracted 780,000 visitors to Boothbay, who wind through a mile of pathways adorned by more than 750,000 high-efficiency LED lights – about 66 miles of lights if laid end-to-end. Photos by staff photographer Ben McCanna.
Posted inLocal & State
In photos: Halloween on Peaks Island
Ghosts and ghouls filled the quiet streets of Peaks Island for Halloween, some on foot, some on the island’s ubiquitous golf carts.
The evening began with trick-or-treating, then ended at the Lions Club where the annual costume contest was held, along with a Wizard of Oz-themed haunted house full of costumed actors and jump scares.
Staff photographer Ben McCanna captured all the color of the night.
Posted inLocal & State
One of Us: At age 72, Peaks Island man still up in the treetops
Arborist Stanwood Newell answered an unusual ad in the newspaper more than a half-century ago.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State
In photos: For these Mainers, this holiday’s just another day of labor
Labor Day’s not a day off for everyone. Here are photos of a few of the Mainers who work on a day many others take off.
Posted inLocal & State
A midsummer dream: The best of our photography from the season
Summer in Maine, one of the most beautiful places in the world, seems to rush by. Here are some of our favorite midsummer photos by Portland Press Herald photographers, from Maine stories and places.
Posted inLocal & State
In photos: The best of the Press Herald’s photography in June
Take a look at some of our favorite photos from across the state by photographers Ben McCanna, Derek Davis, Brianna Soukup, Gregory Rec and Shawn Patrick Ouellette.
Posted inLocal & State, News
In photos: Spring brings flowers, graduates and lovely lights
The flowers bloomed, the seniors graduated, the athletes brought their games outside during the merry, merry month of May. This year we were also blessed with a rare and magical show of the purple, green and pink northern lights. Here are some of the Portland Press Herald photographers’ best of the month.