Photographing Cape Cod: The End of Summer
The sun is setting over the horizon. Groups of people are vacating the beaches. For many, this is the last weekend of summer. The start of September marks the beginning of school, a time of new beginnings.. Summer loves are parting ways, saying good byes as they leave their memories on the beaches, in the back yards, under the star-lit firework filled skies, or where ever it is they met and fell in love. For some, the summer love that was created will go on to last a life time. At times I have entertained the idea that I could have been on the beach, next to two people that just met, was next to them when they found the love of their life. Or, we could have been next to a couple that was just about to say their final good bye, as they went into the world finding their own places separate from each other.
The only thing that will remain as an attachment to their relationship are the memories they created and that one last summer they shared before heading home, off to college, or the transition into a new life and career after the last summer post college. Labor Day weekend truly is the last weekend of summer for most people. As the schools start up, college students move back to campus, after school sports start up, life is about enter a new season.
Like a silhouette in the sunset, summer becomes a fast growing memory as the days shorten, the nights become crisp with cool air, and the sun no longer kisses our skin like it did a mere few days ago. August is usually the month I begin to look forward to October. Fall is a favorite season of mine, even though I love summer. There are elements of each season that please me, but with Summer, I cant find any fault like I can for parts of winter and spring. Fall is usually always beautiful, even when it rains out. And as most New Englanders know, the fall can be a real wet season.
For me though, as the summer days fold up and mother nature calls it a day, I am reminded of so many fond moments over the last few months. A hot air balloon ride, lots of time on Cape Cod, day trips, beach trips, warm nights and drought like conditions are a few elements that furnished some great memories. Each moment began with a day, most typically on that day my camera was in hand. But as the time passes, I may forget what really helped make that day so special, but at least in having a photograph I will never forget that moment because of what I saw through the lens. There are some photographs that will correlate with memories, but even when those memories are locked away tight in the back of my mind, the still frame of the image will remind me of the most simplest of things, I was there, then, at that moment.
I have a new collection of photographs from Cape Cod. Some are places I've re-visited, places from my childhood. Most though, are from places I have yet to be to or things I have not seen on the cape. The landscape, like the shrinking shore, has changed in many ways. Having been here as a child and into my early teen years and again as an adult, I can see the changes. I am neutral to them, not saying things are good, bad, better than they were, but different. My affection for Cape Cod will never die, as I think about a future that involves more time on the cape.
Photographing the cape can be very simple, do not fall into the tourist traps, the cliches that make up tourism, and make images that show the moment while still capturing the essence that is the cape. Cape Cod has its own lifestyle, and that is something I strive to capture. To humor myself at times, the tourists become a subject matter. It is entertaining to watch them band together and pull out their cameras, electronic devices, tablets, and smart phones to make images of that oh so familiar place, object, or seagull.
When I travel, even to a place I frequent, I know I am not a tourist, but when a camera is seen in my hands, there is an automatic preconceived notion that I am as much of a tourist as the rest of the people surrounding me. But truth be told, I am a photographer with a clear focus to document the moment, the location, the people, and share those images through blogs, articles, publications, and exhibitions.
As we look out onto the horizon, we say good bye to another day. The final days of summer are marked with conversations about what we've done, saw, felt, and missed out on doing. A laundry list of places and things not accomplished will have to wait till next summer as we back up the memories into our visual cortex, storing them in a mental photo album. Next summer will be greater than summer.
My final thoughts on this subject include, a quote. From my girlfriend Sue: "Would you say you had a lot of firsts with me this summer?" The answer was simple. "Yes. Yes I did." To that I say, thank you Sue. Thank you for a great summer of memories and photographs.
Abandoned Building Photography: Recent Trip
As a portrait photographer, I capture the likeness of buildings as I would people. It is a tough subject matter, photographing abandoned buildings. Recently I wrote a piece about Abandoned buildings for Free Photo Resources. Post that article I was asked by a friend if I could give her a personal tour of the buildings I have been into. Without haste I agreed and we picked a time to get out and explore. I am working on a personal project to be an exhibition, and could use even more images. So, we went, made some photos, and captured some portraits. I missed out on a few images because my camera died. Yup, I know right, a photographer with a camera that dies, why didnt he charge his batteries!? Well, let it be known that I did! But there is an issue with the camera and both fresh batteries died. This rig is not my primary camera, it is my back up workhorse. The camera that is old enough to take a beating in a building and not need to be worried for if something should happen.
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High School Senior Portraits: Personalities Captured
Senior portraits are fun. It is always a delight when a parent says, "you've made my life hard," because there are just to many I want! Or, "can I have them ALL on a dvd? I want to have them all because I cant chose which ones I want the most." Well, of course you can! I strive to capture everyone's personality as best as I can. Here are a few samples of the last few shoots I have done. Not only do I capture that smile, but our rates and products will put a smile on your parents faces. We also offer that much beloved, YEARBOOK head shot as well. Included with every sitting. Booking a session is easy, just give me a call. Hassel free and easy to order your prints and products. Lots of little bonuses add up to great service!
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Portraits, Portraits, and more Portraits...
I have been shooting quite a bit of seniors these past few weeks, that and a hot air balloon ride! So fun. You can read my article about Aerial Photography: Shooting from a hot air balloon here. As a portrait photographer, I spend quite a bit of time with people. If they need a photograph, it is my job to capture their personality. This evening I had the pleasure of working with a family on a commissioned project. This was not like most other family portraits, this was about capturing the personalities of the three kids. It went very well. That is not to say that every other shoot isn't about that, but this was a very specific request for "a unique image that I am just going to love." The location, time, setting, and mood all came together as the kids interacted with one another and with the camera. You will be able to read post about that commission on Free Photo Resources, along with the other articles I have recently put up. There are two balloon photos below and an image of the moon just having risen above a church. I captured that on my ride home from the family portrait commission. I will also being adding senior portraits into a post very soon!
- The Art side of the Balloon.
Photography and Emotion: Snaps shots as memories
A young man sits in his studio working on a stormy evening. A flash of lightening catches his attention. The windows are open on the other end of the studio allowing the sound of the storm to entertain him. The sound of cars passing by on the wet pavement is as peaceful as the drops of water splashing in their collected puddles. To the slight distance he can hear the equally poetic claps of thunder rolling through the skies above the valley. On his desk is a scanner. The device is working, going back and forth scanning dozens of images. Snapshots, portraits, family memories, all being captured so they can become a story board of a life. Each image is a memory and a moment in time. While the young photographer does not know the woman that appears so frequently in the photographs, he can feel the emotions that each image is charged with. He has the privilege of building the story board of her life. Smiles, laughter, fond memories, family and friends, all present on his desk and in his scanner. When he is done, he will have gained a synopsis of her life and produced a timeline to give to his friend for him to share with his family. It is a simple story of both life and happiness. Photography provides access to memoires through visual and tangible objects, photographs.
Thoughts: Photography and Long Exposures
I make photographs. When I picked up a camera it was because it felt right in my hands, it was an inexplicable feeling of love and emotions towards this ability to see, capture, reproduce, and share what I see, or create for that matter. The idea and notion that a photograph can record a moment, distill beauty, even when the moment of beauty is not defined by the perceived ideals of what beauty is, it is really about being able to make an image. I took up photography because it fulfills this sense of completeness, it is as if I found a part of myself I was looking for. After the realization that photography was a part of who I was, I embraced my ability and desire to create and make photographs. I have devote hours, days, minutes, months, and years to learning. I will never stop learning as the medium is an ever shifting paradigm. I have since taken this passion forward and established a business and career in photography. When I realized that photography was going to be my livelihood as well as the passion that drives and motivates my life, I started planning out my career. We all have our own unique way of seeing something that is specific to every photographer. Once we pass the formidable rules of composition and lighting, pass the idea that photography has its own vocabulary, and we zip through the technical jargon, we are faced with defining who we are with our style. Our style is our personality through images. It is our vernacular and how we converse. Our style is like our voice, it is unique to us. It can not be replicated. It can be sought after, desired, praised, passioned, and create as much as emotion as the images itself conveys.
Every day there is one thing through the course of that day that renews my affection towards what I do. Like being in a relationship with a person, you can not love someone till you love yourself. The same principal can be put into your work as a photographer. I find inspiration in life and by what surrounds me. I am influenced by those who exude passion for what they do and for their creating their own style. Everyone has the ability to press the button of a camera, but without knowledge and understanding there lacks an existence of ability. This is replaceable with a desire to grown, sustain, and believe in ones ability to find their voice and speak. I make photographs and live in visual world. I use photography as a means to speak, engage, and promote how I see the world around me. Make photographs, develop your own voice, and tell the world who you are through photographs.
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The night before last I went out to try and capture some shooting stars. The frequency at which they were streaking the sky was very low. It didnt afford me many chances to capture any. I was able to have some fun, capture a few good images, and still come back with something to show.
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