Boston
Need to blog. Need to blog. Need to......
You get the idea. It's time to show some work that only appears on my Instagram feed for the most part. Some of it was made here in Lowell, Massachusetts, some in Lawrence, at least one in Nashua, NH, some in Boston, and some in Honolulu. Feel free to critique me in the comments. I can take it... I think :-)
Two months between blog posts. Not good. I have been busy (lame excuse), but also have been shooting quite a bit that cannot be shown here until it is published elsewhere (better excuse). I have been doing a little traveling in the way-back machine lately though, having purchased a scanner and some film. I hadn't shot film in several years and it is definitely a reality check. I am hoping that, like a painter's medium, it will have me think a little differently, both when I am shooting and in preparation for a shoot. I know, blah blah blah..show me the pictures.
I resurrected my 35mm camera and took a couple field trips...So here is a bench, some grapes, and a couple of guys on bikes. Did I mention that I am not a street photographer?
With a little help from eBay, I made some new friends in Japan and Korea. In the process, I bought a monster of a medium format camera. It creates negatives that are 6x7 centimeters. Here is my photography colleague Jack Holmes; world traveller, great photographer and all around nice guy!
Jack Holmes
Ok, one last gear-head thing... I bought a mono-rail 4x5 view camera recently too. I am headed off to a workshop next week, but I hope to start, or restart, a series of portraits of local artists when I return, and use both medium and large format. So watch this space.
Now, in no particular order, here are a couple of publication tear sheets, some shots from UTEC's Sweet 16 event, the Summer Kickoff of the Lowell National Park, the Grand Opening of Ani's boutique, Humanity, and an actress headshot that I did for another all around great person, Christa Brown.
Humanity Lowell
UTEC - Sweet 16
Christa
Lowell National Park
UTEC Sweet 16
Barron's - Fidelity's Steve Buller
Merrimack Valley Magazine
It may be raining here as I write this, but it was sunny in the studio last month when I was joined by Ani, from Humanity Lowell, a cool little boutique for women on Merrimack Street, my style collaborator Grace, as well as Christa and Monika who clearly lit up the studio with their modeling talents.
We are looking forward to better weather here in Massachusetts that will be allow for another shoot, this time out on location. Watch for our work here in a few short months. Hmm…maybe another studio shoot is in order before then!
So what do you say when another photographer who you respect asks you to create their portrait? You do it, of course! Thaddeus Miles, who happens to live in the next building, asked me to do just that. I was incredibly flattered, and immediately asked if, rather than a fee, I could be paid with a print of one of his photographs, and if I could make some photos of him that were beyond what he was looking for.
Thaddeus is an amazing photographer. Quite a while ago he began one of those 365 projects that some photographers embark on (note that I said “some”… I have never had the discipline...) in which they shoot something every day for a year. Well the last photo in his blog is day number 977! See his work here : http://thaddeusmiles365.wordpress.com
A couple of his other passions are his Hood Fit initiative and his Men of Color Photoshoot, the first phase of which took place last week. Check out both on his blog, and here as well: https://www.instagram.com/hoodfitma
Thaddeus was actually trying to get a new photo of himself for “an award”, as he phrased it. That award, which is no small thing, and which will be presented to him today, October 28, 2014, is called the Lilla G. Frederick award, named for Mrs. Frederick, who helped found and then served as the President and Chair of Project RIGHT, Inc. (Rebuild and Improve Grove Hall Together), which presents this award. Congratulations Thaddeus!
Thaddeus emailed the press release the other day, which appears below, after the photos.
I am just privileged to know him and extremely happy to have had the opportunity to photograph him for this blog.
Thaddeus Miles
Subject: FW: Thaddeus Miles will be presented the Lilla Frederick award on October 28, 2014
(please distribute to the appropriate contacts and have those interested in coming, to contact me regarding tickets at 617.541.5451.x102)
You are invited to join Project RIGHT at its annual dinner and celebration on Tuesday, October 28th, 2014 from 6 PM – 9 PM at Russell Memorial Auditorium (70 Talbot Ave, Dorchester). Project RIGHT was formed in 1991 and organizes residents and young people on addressing public safety and quality of life issues while improving access to resources and positive opportunities in the Grove Hall neighborhood.
This year, PRI is presenting Thaddeus Miles, MassHousing’s Director of Public Safety with its Lilla Frederick award. Mr. Miles has been responsible for launching several innovative violence prevention initiatives and partnerships that has made a significant difference in the Grove Hall neighborhood, the City of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a whole.
Mr. Miles launched the Grove Hall Multi Unit Housing Initiative that comprised of tenant associations, Boston Police, property owners, management companies, security companies, MassHousing and community organizations that has successfully addressed public safety issues in these apartment buildings. Mr. Miles helped to found the Grove Hall Youth Outreach Connection comprised of Project RIGHT, several Grove Hall Tenant Associations, MassHousing, Boston Police and Lilla Frederick Pilot Middle School which has received significant funding by the Charles Hayden Foundation to increase the youth outreach worker and prevention capacity in the Grove Hall neighborhood. Mr. Miles has also provided ongoing training for a variety of Grove Hall representatives to understand both the community impact of violence and the toll of trauma, but also to address the personal toll that occurs upon us.
Being an innovator in challenging the barriers and disparities facing Grove Hall and other neighborhoods, Mr. Miles launched HoodFit, a community led movement which focuses on bringing out the most positive attributes of community building, health and wellness highlighting the mind, body and soul that shows us day by day on how to overcome issues such as trauma. Mr. Miles also founded “Think Big Dream Big”, a youth driven initiative to jumpstart young people on the journey to a positive future, the fulfillment of their goals and dreams.
Much like the late Ms. Lilla Frederick (Devon Street resident and Project RIGHT’s Board President), Mr. Miles goes block by block, identifies problems, takes actions, doesn’t take no for an answer and achieves results. They both go out of their way to avoid publicity or self promotion, but they rather just do the work to make changes that systematically improve the lives of residents and young people.
If you have any questions, or wish to come to Project RIGHT’s annual dinner and celebration, please contact Michael Kozu, Community Coordinator (m_kozu@hotmail.com and 617.541.5451.x102).
I am often asked if I do weddings. I prefer to leave that to the professionals. The wedding professionals, that is. There are many excellent specialists, so I am always happy to refer clients to the good ones.
Ok, so why am I telling you this? I have started to take a few engagement shoots, or as they are sometimes referred to now, Save-the-Date shoots. These are fun, no pressure shoots that last an hour or two. I don’t carry lights or gear, other than my camera and a reflector. When we do them in the city, perfect strangers will watch, smile, and congratulate the couple after a shot. It's pretty cool! We walk around looking for good scenes and backgrounds, take some fun shots, see if it works and move on.
I recently shot one for Jen and Eric, in the North End of Boston. I think you can tell that they had a great time!
Recently, I was asked to photograph Kay Montgomery, who will be retiring this June from her role as Executive Vice President of the Unitarian Universalist Association, which she has held for the past 28 years. Her retirement coincides with the moving of its headquarters from its spot immediately adjacent to the Massachusetts State House to a renovated building on Boston's waterfront.
UUWorld Magazine - Summer 2103
Kay Montgomery - Executive Vice President of the Unitarian Universalist Association
My latest cover photo for CE Pro magazine profiles a local Boston company that designs and builds systems that integrate technology into residential and commercial spaces. We were invited into a home to view one of their recent projects. It was pretty impressive!
In the basement!
Built-ins
I recently met Obehi Janice while casting for a promotional video that I was working on with filmmaker Pete Pedulla. A performer, writer and speaker, she clearly fit with my ongoing goal of finding interesting people to photograph. She came to my studio yesterday along with her sister, and UMass Lowell student, Joy. It was a fun shoot!
...and this Big Door Portrait series is really on a roll!
Obehi regularly performs her own, solo work, FUFU & OREOS, and will be doing so in Chicago, on Friday, February 15th. Check out her web site for more information: http://www.fufuandoreos.com
David Shulman of The Environmental Tech Center - CP Pro Magazine - July 2012
This shoot was a blast. The Environmental Tech Center, in East Boston, which is featured in this month's CE Pro Magazine cover story, is in an unassuming building, but houses some really cool gadgets and an amazing home. David Shulman, who owns the Environmental Tech Center shares the stage in this article with his beautiful home and workplace.
Download my January 2012 pdf newsletter! It's full of articles and images about the past year and thoughts about the coming year. Press the download button below for your FREE copy and enjoy!
