Nantucket is an island that lies about 14 miles south of Cape Cod and 30 miles into the Atlantic Ocean. Nantucket has a year-round population of about 10,000 residents, but it is mainly known for attracting summer time visitors from around the world. The quaint, scenic beaches combined with the bustling cobblestone streets, and bustling town make for a popular destination capable of catering to all age groups and backgrounds. The island is known for its beautiful beaches and picturesque scenery. It is surrounded by bright blue calm water which makes for beautiful photos. Nantucket is defined by visual elements such as fog, boating, whaling, lighthouses, and elegant houses and scenery which appear in many photos of the island.

 The first picture is an aerial view of the island. A satellite or plane most likely shot this picture. It shows the entire island at once. The turquoise surrounding the island shows the shallow waters which encompass the island and suggest a tropical-like feel during the summer. These shallow waters are home to hundreds of shipwrecks due to the shallow shoals that lie around the island. The picture also depicts Nantucket’s famous harbor which was once home to a large fleet of whaling vessels. Today this harbor houses yachts and luxury boats. It is a natural harbor and as the picture shows is very protected on all sides. The picture also shows the green flats that are characteristic of most of the inland of the island. In all, the picture makes use of cool colors of blue, green, and turquoise to depict the island from an aerial view. 

The second picture of my visual text show an artist’s rendering of a whaling scene. The picture shows a giant whale being harpooned by whalers. There is a much larger ship in the background. The larger ship is painted smaller due to how far it is from the whale and the smaller boat in the picture. The artist does this for depth perception in the picture.  The scene also depicts a rough and dangerous sea. These large waves are certainly creating a hazard for the men depicted in the picture. The sky looks grey and cloudy and it is most likely a rainy and stormy day. There are also seagulls in the picture, circling above the whalers. The artist most likely includes the birds to make this ocean scene feel more realistic as birds are definitely something one might encounter out in the ocean. Another major aspect of the picture is the dense fog that seems to be filling the picture. This is characteristic of Nantucket as the island is known for its dense fog. The fog helps to set the scene for the picture as it is often identified as gloomy and somber. This is appropriate for a picture of whaling due to the death that plagued whaling expeditions as a result of injury, drowning, and disease. The artist makes use of dark, grey, and gloomy colors to detail the scene in the picture.

The next picture depicts the “Nantucket Whaling Co.” sign. The sign is painted blue and looks to be somewhat aged. The sign looks to be handmade and seems to be wooden. In the middle of the sign is painted a sperm whale. The whale is painted a much darker blue than the rest of the sign, possibly in an effort for the whale to stand out to those who see it. Surrounding the whale is what looks to be hand written white letters spelling out “Nantucket Whaling Co.”. The letters are in all capital letters with “Nantucket” standing out on top of the whale, and “Whaling Co.” below it. The letters stand out in white to draw attention toward the company in what is most likely an advertisement. On the bottom of the sign is written “Old South Wharf”. These letters are also in all capital letters however they are written much smaller and in a darker color that does not stand out. This is the location of the whaling company and is not what is being advertised. Therefore, it does not need to stand out to the public as much as the rest of the sign at first glance. Overall, the sign is characterized by big attention grabbing letters and a picture of a whale, advertising the whaling company.

The next picture is of a house on Nantucket and is an example of the style and theme of the island. The house style has been the same on the island for over 200 years. Grey siding with white trimming. This size house is also common on the island. The picture itself depicts a beautiful house on a hill, most likely on the water. The sun is perfectly hitting the house which is a symbol for how the island is today, peaceful and beautiful. The lawn and hedges are all pristine and well maintained. They are a perfect green color and have clearly been well cared for. This speaks to the wealth of the island as it costs a great deal of money not only to afford such a large house but also to keep it so well maintained. The blue sky in the background is a calming perfect blue shade and there is not a cloud to be seen in the sky. It is clearly a beautiful summer day in the picture. There is an American flag flying to the side of the property, which can be representative that such a house represents the American dream. The picture is shot from straight on and can be defined by bright colors which give a warm, calming feel in an effort to show the beauty of the island. 

The fifth picture is of the Brant Point lighthouse. The picture is very calming and peaceful which can represent the feel of Nantucket. The American flag sits on the lighthouse in the picture which is symbolic of patriotism and complements the other aspects in the picture well. The water is calm and seems to be very still. The light is almost perfectly hitting the water and is shot from straight on. The lighthouse sits on a small beach jutting out into the water. Behind the beach sits small grassy green hills. The sky is a picturesque blue and there are very few clouds. The picture depicts a nice summer day on the water. It is defined by light blue colors and shows the stillness and serenity of Nantucket Harbor. 

The last picture is of the Nantucket Harbor. This picture is representative of the peacefulness of the island as well. There are many boats in the picture show which shows how the island is centered around the sea. The picture is taken during sunset and the sky is lit up by yellow, pink, and blue colors. The water in the picture is extremely calm and takes up much of the scene. The scene is shot from straight on and shows the shoreline sitting right beneath the picturesque sunset. The picture is taken after the sun has gone down thereby causing the beautiful colors to appear in the sky. The picture is best described as a calm setting with subtle, warm colors taking up the sky.

As the pictures have shown, Nantucket is a beautiful, well photographed island full of history, elegant scenery, blue waters, and historic landmarks. The still and calm waters allow for graceful pictures to be taken of the island at almost all times of day. The large, well maintained houses are symbolic of the wealthy population that live on the island. The island also has a deep well documented history. This history is shown by the renderings of the whaling scene and the “Nantucket Whaling Co.” sign.  Nantucket is a charming and well- kept island defined by water, beaches, tasteful scenery. These characteristics come together to create unique photo opportunities of all different colors, styles and feels.
