Every year photographer Marina French and her closest friend plan a weekend to explore different parts of Maine. Last October they visited Mount Desert Island for one of the final weekends of peak fall foliage. With Acadia National Park seeing a record-breaking number of visitors in recent years, it can be difficult to find a quiet weekend on Mount Desert Island. But despite this and the popularity of the foliage season, French and her friend found some places with fewer crowds than at the height of summer, making stops at Eagle Lake, Bass Harbor Head Light, Jesup Path, and the Beehive trail. “When we first got there, we were a little disappointed to hear that there was rain in the forecast,” says French. After driving around for a few hours in the pouring rain, their hope for fair weather was fading. However, having grown up in Maine, French knew that the weather doesn’t stay the same for too long. The skies cleared just in time to take photos of the sunset. “The rain helped to keep things quiet, and when the sky broke, we were completely alone,” she says. The rest of their time in Mount Desert Island featured bright blue skies, beautiful foliage, and impeccable fall weather. “These are the moments when I realize that Maine teaches us things,” French says. “In this instance, patience.”