In a city struggling with a reputation for being rough and gritty, a local photographer is hoping to help change the attitude and perception through his stunning landscape photographs.

Richard Plourde is on a mission to showcase the beauty and serenity that abounds in the images he captures around the Lewiston-Auburn area. He hopes it will help improve the public perception of L-A. He also feels that many of its residents are the most critical and focus on the bad while neglecting the beauty.

After a career as an artist and graphic designer, Plourde took up photography just before retiring. He now uses his newfound passion to help change the negative image of the twin cities of Lewiston and Auburn through his beautiful landscape photographs.

“Perception is reality, and I hope that my photographs will help change the unjust criticism we get here in L-A. I especially do it for those who have moved away and want to be reminded of the beauty of the city they grew up in,” Plourde said during a recent interview between photo shoots. “It makes me feel incredibly proud and gives me a sense of accomplishment when I get positive feedback, when I post a photo to social media.

“There are always a few people who post negative things, but that is the case with just about everything on social media. I think that’s why it is so important to keep posting positive and beautiful images to help offset those negative comments. Perception is reality.”

Photography has given Plourde a new focus and keeps him busy now that he is retired. Self-taught and a student of the school of hard knocks, he admits photography is often frustrating and disappointing, but when it all comes together, it is worth the effort and reason to feel proud.

“I plan shoots and often scope things out a day or two prior to a shoot,” he said. “Sometimes, the light or moment, or what I thought would work, just doesn’t pan out, and even after several attempts, it just doesn’t turn out the way I expected. It’s just the way it is and you can’t get frustrated or disappointed.”

Other times, it is the opposite, and Plourde admits, as does every good photographer, there is a bit of luck and surprise involved.

“Some of my best photos are just being in the right place at the right time,” Plourde said. “Yes, there is a bit of planning on most shoots, but sometimes you just get lucky.

“I was walking along the Riverwalk a while back and I knew the full moon was going to rise soon, but didn’t know where. I was just hoping I’d find something in the foreground to frame it with. I noticed it peeking up over the horizon and ran to a spot where it was framed by the spires of the (Basilica of Saints Peter & Paul). That’s one of my favorite shots ever.”

While selling prints is not Plourde’s focus, he has realized that if he sells more, he can save enough to buy better equipment, which he hopes will help elevate his images to an even higher level. He dreams of traveling to Alaska or the Rocky Mountains to capture some of the world’s best scenery.

For now, Plourde is focusing on the landscapes in the community where he was raised and on promoting its beauty.

“We have cleaned up the river quite a bit, and it’s just getting better all the time,” he said. “I feel the image of our cities is the same, and it’s just a matter of time before people will realize just how much we have to offer, and refocus on the positive things instead of all the negative.”

While he hones skills that enable him to capture stunning images during the blue and golden hours at the start and end of each day, Plourde continues to challenge himself, learning and evolving as a photographer and continuing as one of his hometown’s biggest fans and promoters.

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