First Light: Acadia National Park and Maine's Mount Desert Island

Photography by Tom Blagden, Jr
Text by Charles R. Tyson, Jr
Foreword by W. Kent Olson

Published by Westcliff Publishers and Friends of Acadia

A fine art photographic triumph from one of America’s best known landscape photographers, First Light is a celebration of one of the most diverse and phenomenal natural parks in our nation. Photographer Tom Blagden’s extensive work throughout the park over many years paints a rich picture of life in this land of “first light’- where dawn’s first rays seasonally warm the American coastline.

Told with soul-stirring text and awe-inspiring full-color photographs that capture Mount Desert Island’s varied seasons and diverse natural beauty, the story of Acadia National Park unfolds in this breathtaking volume co-published by Friends of Acadia. Infused with “Down East” humor, lore and heart, the tale follows one man’s personal journey from boyhood to old age as it chronicles his lifelong relationship with Acadia, the first national part east of the Mississippi. Along with the park’s establishment, threats to its integrity, and ultimate preservation, the book also discusses the island’s natural and human history. Through the words and images in this book, we see Acadia as not only a place to cherish, but a legacy to protect.

First Light is now out of print, but copies may be purchased from Amazon, eBay, and other online merchants.