Ben McCanna has been a staff photographer and occasional writer at the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram since 2015 and has been working for newspapers since 2010.
Ben studied creative writing and literature at Emerson College and embarked on a decade-long career in publishing after graduating in 1997. In his mid 30s, Ben shifted careers by taking a job as a reporter at a small newspaper in northwest Colorado and never looked back. Over the years, he slowly transitioned from writer to photographer - his true passion.
Ben is a 2018 winner of an Award of Excellence from Pictures of the Year International. He lives on Peaks Island with his wife, a nurse practitioner, and two sons.
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PublishedFebruary 14, 2024
Peaks Island children spread the love for Valentine’s Day
Despite the frigid air, 48 students departed Peaks Island Elementary School on Wednesday morning to spread joy throughout the community on Valentine’s Day. The Love Parade, now in its fourth year, involves a short walk from the school grounds, along Island Avenue and then eastward to Fay Garman House, an independent living community for people […]
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PublishedJanuary 13, 2024
In photos: Maine’s coast battered by yet another storm
Around 2 inches of rain fell Saturday in southern Maine, flooding low-lying streets and businesses, while a record-breaking high tide inundated the already-soggy coast, eroded beaches and washed away two iconic fishing shacks.
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PublishedJanuary 10, 2024
In photos: Aftermath of the storm
A winter storm that started Tuesday night and ended late Wednesday morning carried heavy rains and high winds, resulting in widespread flooding and power outages across the state.
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PublishedDecember 26, 2023
2023 Photos of the Year: Homeless in Portland
Homelessness in Portland grew to new dimensions in 2023. Even as a new city shelter opened in Riverton, homeless encampments emerged throughout the city – in parks, on trails and even on a state-owned parking lot. Local agencies struggled with how to respond, and the issue was central in Portland’s mayoral election. Throughout the year, Press Herald photographers documented people living outside, learning their names and their stories and offering readers an unblinking look at one of society’s most complex challenges.
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PublishedDecember 26, 2023
2023 Photos of the Year
Beauty comes in many forms. A diver suspended in midair. A flock of pigeons rising in the snow. The stillness of a lobster boat and a man and dog on a paddleboard in calm ocean waters at sunset. Portland Press Herald photographers uncover unexpected beauty every day. They show us the profound beauty of connection. The tenderness of a loving husband and his wife, who is in hospice, celebrating their anniversary. The resilience of families who have traveled from a world away trying to make a new home in a strange land together. The collective grief of a community experiencing enormous loss after an act of previously unimaginable violence. It is a great privilege to photograph the people and stories of Maine. Here is some of our best work from 2023.
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PublishedDecember 26, 2023
2023 Photos of the Year: Maine in mourning
On the night of Oct. 25, minutes after Lewiston police began fielding calls about multiple shootings in the city, the newspapers of the Maine Trust for Local News mobilized as one newsroom to learn everything we could about what would turn out to be the deadliest shooting in Maine history. On that night, 18 people were killed and 13 injured and a manhunt was launched to find the shooter. Photographers from the Sun Journal, the Kennebec Journal and the Portland Press Herald fanned out across the area to document it all – the fear, the shock, the anger, the manhunt, the extraordinary outpouring of shared grief and pain. This is some of their best work from those dark days.
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PublishedOctober 6, 2023
In photos: Looking back as summer draws to a close
Some people call it ‘local summer,’ the period after many summer tourists have gone but before foliage tourists arrive. The sun sets earlier and school has started, but the days are still warm – and often glorious. Portland Press Herald photographers capture its essence in this photo gallery.
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PublishedAugust 6, 2023
In photos: A gloomy start, then glory in our photo gallery of summer 2023
June was gloomy and gray, with almost daily rain. July was warmer, with wet weekends and high humidity – not the perfect New England weather we dream about all year. But the sun showed its lovely face as August arrived, and the glorious days of summer began again.
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PublishedJune 27, 2023
In photos: The music of summer’s arrival
As the sun neared the horizon on the longest day of the year, a lovely ruckus unfolded at Range Pond State Park in Poland. The event, Vigorous Tenderness, was a museum-like aural experience set in the great outdoors to mark Wednesday’s summer solstice. Story and photos by Staff Photographer Ben McCanna.
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PublishedJune 20, 2023
In photos: See the action from Tuesday’s high school baseball and softball state championships
Check out some of our favorite images from Tuesday’s high school Class A, C and D baseball and softball state championships.
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