Photography: The Silhouette of Industry
Those who know me best, or at least know my work by sight, can describe my images well. Often times people get confused and think my first choice of subject matter is abandoned buildings and cityscapes. This is entirely incorrect as my interests in capturing cities, both with people and without is to document what fascinates me. The objects left behind from the era of industry are relics. A building that once used to house factory workers is as equally interesting as the mill building itself. It is likely that I will never figure out what compels me to study them. I am in no way driven to study the workings and history of the era of industry. I am however fascinated at its existence. It sounds odd to say that I am not interested in the history, yet I have extensively photographed one of the greatest contributions to the era of Industry, the Queen of Industrial Cities, Holyoke.
I grew up across the river. I grew up hearing stories of what Holyoke used to be. Today, I am part of conversations of what Holyoke is going to be. A city that was founded on innovation and creativity is in a liminal stage. I often say that we are so far from Industrialism that the labeling of a "post-industrial" city should be forgotten. Cities that once relied on manufacturing and the production of goods no longer do. To move forward is to embrace the past and understand ones roots, but look beyond the horizon.
I made this photograph in passing today. I have shot this same image dozens of times over. Today it seemed fitting though. I have been engaging in conversations recently that have discussed the fabric of the cities beginning. While it is true that I do not read much about the history of industrialism, never-the-less I am at times so immersed in it. For me, the roads, buildings, and images that I construct are all based on vision. Both the literal sight of the object as well as the mental capacity to visualize what is no longer there. Countless times I have stood facing an object, door, room, machine, and section of a mill building just wondering. Wondering what it was like to be in that environment as it was thriving, living, breathing the intended life it was meant to live.
Many buildings stand today. Problematic for the city. Eye sores for the community. Un-answerable questions exist for the municipality that aspires to have the city flourish with life life once again. The challenges that face Holyoke are uniquely different than the neighboring once, former, post-industrial city. Other cities have begun to answer their questions and are on a fast track to a new life, some, some have long days ahead of them.
2014: New Photography, New Beginnings
Greetings! Welcome to a new year! This is the first post of the new year and the first post in a very long time. I closed out 2013 working on some great projects, enduring a major catastrophe for my business, details to come shortly, and said good bye to great year of new friends and new business. I started the year off in Vermont. What a trip. See the above panorama of Stowe Vermont and Mount Mansfield.
I took a vacation to start the new year properly. There comes a time when we all need to take time to escape. Well, after a long and trying few months, I hit the wall and needed to recharge for the new year. In 2014 I have some great things planned. Some great ideas and some incredibly new work.
Twice in 2013 I flew in a helicopter to make some photographs. The sky is the limit for 2014. I am anxious to travel and fly again. Hopefully very soon I will be off to another awesome destination.
Stock Photography: Photographs of City for new website
Quite a few months ago I received a request for use of my photographs, (Holyoke Flickr Gallery) for a website redevelopment of a local insurance company. Yesterday I recieve an email expressing the site was done and the photos were up. I made a few screen shots to show how the photographs were integrated into the website.
Sandy Hook Elementary School: A Candlelight Vigil
The world was introduced to a small New England Community of Newtown, Connecticut this past week as an act of violence took 27 lives, 18 of which were children, in an elementary school. Holyoke Mass, a community I am a part of had a candle light vigil this past evening. When Mayor Alex Morse began reading the names of those who lost their lives, they went from victims to people. Real people with real names. Until that point I had not heard the names of those who were killed, they became not just a number, but a person. My uncle is a volunteer fire fighter in a town just around the corner from there. Through the degrees of separation, it could be a small margin in which I might have a connection to the people of Newtown. The community of Holyoke came out in the cold, held candles and each other. Sang in song and paid respects to the people of Newtown. If we can shed tears for people whom we do not know, we are more human than we thought. My camera is a device of preserving the memorial and the light of the candles that put out an ambient glow of memory.
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Black Friday: Portraits of Holyoke
I woke up and watched the fog thicken. I left the condo, stopped for a coffee, and made my way to the studio. I ran in, grabbed my camera and took a drive around the city to make a few photographs. The density of the fog did not provide for a telephoto view of the city. It was Black Friday, however, Holyoke took on a pallet of greys. It was a black and white kind of Friday. It was a beautiful Friday.
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Fall Foliage: A few quick shots
Fall in New England is such a beautiful time. There is a variable color shift and transition as the seasons change. Those elements make things come to life. The Autumn months are, slightly, arguably my favorite months out the year. But I say that for every season, being a New England boy at heart. Here are a few shots I made the other day. I am disembarking the U.S for the first time this Sunday. I will be back in 7 days and look forward to seeing more color.
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