Maryland's Eastern Shore and Chesapeake Bay


Maryland's Eastern Shore is a distinctive area of the State separated from the Western Shore by the Chesapeake Bay. The culture and the life style are distinctly different from the Baltimore-Washington Metro Area and the hills of Western Maryland. It is associated with raising tobacco in the past, tomatoes more recently, and always with crabs, oysters and other seafood.


Some of these images are in other galleries but here they are all together and make a coherent study of a distinct region.


All images in this gallery are copyrighted by Jon Meyer © and all rights are reserved. Most images are available for licensure or for custom prints. Please contact me about available options and materials. I will be happy to discuss them with you.

Front Coming On © (New Version)
2022
Photography

I have always liked this image, which was taken years back with a view camera. However, I had never liked the lamp post which can be seen on the older version of the image. So, I very painstakingly removed the post as seen above. This version of the image was juried into Cary Photographic Artists' 16th Annual Fall Juried Show, October 27, 2023. The link to the CPA gallery in which this image is found is as follows: https://www.caryphotographicartists.org/cpa-annual-open-print-exhibit-2023

Front Coming On © (Older version)
2012

This is one of the last good image I took with my view camera. The film version was scanned into digital and then post processed. I had permission from the couple fishing to photograph them on this public pier. The pier is the Matapeake Pier, which is popular for fishing and boating and has one of the best views of the Bay Bridge to be found.

Chincoteague Evening ©
2015
Photography

Although not in Maryland, it is in Virginia, Chincoteague is to me still part of the Eastern Shore. This was taken one evening in 2015 and has rested unappreciated in my files until now.

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge ©
2013

This panoramic image was taken from Kent Island, which is where the five mile long Bay Bridge sets down on the Eastern Shore after leaving the Annapolis area on the Western Shore. Approximately 7 individual images were stitched together to make this one.

The Chesapeake from Matapeake I ©
2013

The Matapeake Pier is popular for fishing and has the added benefit of a view of the Bay Bridge. One aspect of fishing from the pier is night fishing. This fisherman, who gave me permission to photograph him, arrived toward the evening dressed in many layers for the overnight cold.

The Chesapeake from Matapeake II ©
2013

As above, this fisherman has arrived toward the evening dressed in many layers for the cold of overnight fishing. He gave me permission to photograph him.

Fisherman in a Red Cap I ©
2011

As I have noted, night fishing is popular on the Matapeake Pier in the Chesapeake Bay. I was struck by this fisherman, who gave me permission to photograph him, as he was settling in for the night and the cold.

Fisherman in a Red Cap II ©
2011

This fisherman had given me permission to photograph him. He was settled in for the night of fishing from the Matapeake Pier in the Chesapeake Bay.

Parson's Creek ©
2011
Photography: Limited series of 25

This image is from the edge of the Blackwater Game Refuge in Dorchester County, south and west of the town of Cambridge, MD, where marsh land is prominent. I just happened to be there when the diagonal clouds crossed the little pond and stream.


I recently sold the first print of this image, number 1/25. So the next one to be printed and framed will be 2/25.

Spring Green ©
2013

This image is not related to Harriett Tubman per se but is taken near to a marker that says this is the area on Maryland's Easter Shore where she was active with the Underground Railroad.

A Corner of the Road in Springtime ©
2013

I liked this road corner and the little old abandoned house with the big oak tree just budding out.

Sprouting in a Newly Planted Field ©
2013

The greens every where on the Eastern Shore this particular weekend were spectacular. I was taken with the color in the field more than anything else in this image.

RV and Trailer Park ©
2013

If you want a place on the Eastern Shore and can't afford the prices, an RV and trailer park is the way to go.

Rape Seed and a Farm House ©
2013

I don't know how commercial a crop rape seed is on the Eastern Shore but at the right time of year, you can find the distinctive yellow blooms. This field and farm house are near Cambridge.

Blackwater Wetlands ©
2013

The wetlands of the Blackwater Game Preserve are south of Cambridge in Dorchester County. They change with the seasons and in the spring are green, as in this image.

Blue Roof, Crosses, and Rape Seed ©
2013

Moving south of Blackwater toward Hooper's Island, I ran into a farm with a blazing yellow field of rape seed blooms, crosses, and a blue roof.

Country Church ©
2013

This little church is very close to where the road goes over a causeway and a bridge to Hooper's Island. This is toward the south end of Dorchester County, south of Blackwater.

Twisty Road ©
2013

South of the country church (above) one enters the causeway and then goes over the bridge to Hooper's Island. I thought the twists, turns, and curves made for a good composition. This image placed in a regional print competition.

Abandoned House ©
2013

There are a number of abandoned properties on Hooper's Island since the crabbing and fishing industries have declined. I have used this old house in a number of images some of which are in the Conceptual Gallery.

Crab Traps and Packing House ©
2013

There is still crabbing on Hooper's Island, just not as much as in the past. The Chesapeake Bay has been overfished and plundered and, under tighter controls and catch limits, is just starting to recover. In this image, the crab traps are to the right, the delivery truck to the left, and the packing facility behind both.

At the End of the Road ©
2013

There are two Hooper's Islands on which there is a road. This is at the end of the road on the south Island. It is hard to see, and I did not notice until post-processing, but there is a bald eagle perched in one of the trees to the left.

Taylor's Island Church ©
2013

This church is on another little island along the shoreline of Dorchester County. It is, however, toward the north and west of Dorchester County.

Country Road and Fence ©
2013

This image is on the Eastern Shore but near Chestertown not Cambridge.