PORTLAND, Maine — More than 20 years ago, Buddy Doyle had an idea for what he called his "reading project."
His dream was to create a book of photos of Mainers "of all stripes, simply reading where it suits them." It has finally come to fruition in a new volume called "Where Maine Reads."
The subtitle is a mouthful, but it tells a lot about what’s between the covers: "Images of Maine Readers—Young, Old, and In Between—With Essays in Their Own Words About Finding Solace, Value and Enjoyment in the Magic and Wonder of a Good Book."
Inside are dozens of photos Doyle shot. Some of the subjects are well-known (Sen. Angus King, fishing boat captain Linda Greenlaw, bestselling writer and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Richard Russo), but most are not. They’re regular folks shown in their favorite places to read—beds, bathtubs, beaches, backyards, brewpubs, and beyond.
Doyle, who lives in Gardiner, doesn’t try to pass himself off as a master photographer. In fact, he used his cellphone to take every picture in the book, and when photographing Richard Russo, he was finished in about a minute.
The image shows Russo sitting on a chaise on the deck of his condo, high above the Portland waterfront stretching out behind him. He’s reading a book perched comfortably on his lap.
"Beautiful day," Doyle recalls of the shoot. "Cruise ship in the background. I took two exposures and knew I had it. And I said, 'We’re done.' And he said, 'Well, let’s have a drink.'"
Doyle is immensely pleased that a project he’d thought about for more than two decades has finally been sent out into the world. What makes him even happier is that the proceeds from the sale of the book will go to Maine Public to support its literacy programs.
"I’m extremely proud of that," he said.