Eric Hudson’s work with the New England coast and Monhegan give a fresh perspective on the progression of defining place through art. He immersed himself in the local culture and built up a rapport with otherwise standoffish fishermen and lobstermen because of his seamanship. This connectivity allowed himself to not only portray art with landscape, but also with cultural and historical context. Coffin’s quote on photography differentiates and combines the meaning of Hudson’s art, and gives insight on why his photography is so powerful. He creates a historical representation of Monhegan by documenting the power of the sea, by taking photos from lobster boats, by capturing the culture of the island at a point in time. His image of three men dressing ground fish on the coastline is one that undoubtedly evokes the utilitarian representation that was so unique; it tells a story of the tradition, it is almost busy with stories, but not accidental or harsh. He also captures the aesthetic by creating landscapes and rocky coastal images. The parallel of classic sailing images and glass negatives of the local culture make his art much more poignant. His success seems to lie in his connection of utilitarian and aesthetic features in his photography. I think this is largely due to the fact that many photographs that he took were for future paintings, and he needed to capture the cultural importance while still creating an aesthetically pleasing piece. The boat with two lobstermen washed ashore is both precise and captures the historical significance, but captures the features of what the quintessential coastal painting of Maine often does. I think Hudson’s best work is when he fuses landscapes with Monhegan locals, capturing many different types of landscapes that Meinig describes–nature, system, artifact, history, place.