Through a 19th century lens

tintypes, musings, ramblings, insights and observations about photography

1 note

In the 1970’s I worked on a project taking pictures of my younger cousin. Looking for another photo today I stumbled upon this one of my cousin Lana with her mother Flora.

In the 1970’s I worked on a project taking pictures of my younger cousin.

Looking for another photo today I stumbled upon this one of my cousin Lana with her mother Flora.

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I was introduced to Chris a couple of years ago when I made a photograph of him with his friends. Last year he was on the beach quite a lot giving surf lessons. I photographed him in June before the season was in full swing. The moment was right; we were much more comfortable with one another.

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Hello friends, I thought I would share one more picture with you to preview the opening of my show at Rick Wester Fine Art. I met Hawaiian Ed at Turtle Cove the last warm day of the season in 2006. We had a nice chat about surfing, Hawaii (his birthplace) and his profession as a scientist. Since then Ed left the company he worked for, grew out his hair and posed for me each year till 2008. I haven’t seen him at Ditch in a while, but you might see him sometime this summer playing his ukelele at the beach.

Hello friends, I thought I would share one more picture with you to preview the opening of my show at Rick Wester Fine Art.

I met Hawaiian Ed at Turtle Cove the last warm day of the season in 2006. We had a nice chat about surfing, Hawaii (his birthplace) and his profession as a scientist. Since then Ed left the company he worked for, grew out his hair and posed for me each year till 2008. I haven’t seen him at Ditch in a while, but you might see him sometime this summer playing his ukelele at the beach.

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Good morning surfers…I wanted to share another picture with you from the early days. I met P. Claire on the beach at Ditch, like  most of the surfers I know. This was a warm September day and she asked a lot of questions before agreeing to pose. I was rather thrilled with her shot because of the tender way she rested her head on her board. Before this picture, I didn’t know very much about the relationship between a surfer and their board.                     Meeting Claire was very fortuitous. She’s been an enormous help with the project,  introducing me to some wonderful surfers and helping me arrange shoots in both Montauk and California. 

Good morning surfers…I wanted to share another picture with you from the early days. I met P. Claire on the beach at Ditch, like  most of the surfers I know. This was a warm September day and she asked a lot of questions before agreeing to pose. I was rather thrilled with her shot because of the tender way she rested her head on her board. Before this picture, I didn’t know very much about the relationship between a surfer and their board.                    

Meeting Claire was very fortuitous. She’s been an enormous help with the project,  introducing me to some wonderful surfers and helping me arrange shoots in both Montauk and California. 

3 notes

In February of 2008, I returned to California to photograph surfers. This was my second year shooting on the west coast, so I thought about how to reach more people during my brief 2 week trip there. Just showing up at the beach, mid week in February was not the best use of my time. My friend, P. Claire knew some folks at Surf Divas, a surf school in La Jolla that she put me in touch with. They in turn put out a call to all their instructors that I was looking for surfers for my project. It was a good call, because finally, there did not need to be surf to find a surfer to photograph. I had people staggered about 1/2 hour apart and Jonathan was the only guy who showed up. He had this fabulous, skin-like black wet suit from Japan along with a black board. I thought there was perhaps too much black and suggested he roll down the top of his suit—he declined. He knew exactly how he wanted to appear. Niz Niz… he was right!

In February of 2008, I returned to California to photograph surfers. This was my second year shooting on the west coast, so I thought about how to reach more people during my brief 2 week trip there. Just showing up at the beach, mid week in February was not the best use of my time. My friend, P. Claire knew some folks at Surf Divas, a surf school in La Jolla that she put me in touch with. They in turn put out a call to all their instructors that I was looking for surfers for my project. It was a good call, because finally, there did not need to be surf to find a surfer to photograph. I had people staggered about 1/2 hour apart and Jonathan was the only guy who showed up. He had this fabulous, skin-like black wet suit from Japan along with a black board. I thought there was perhaps too much black and suggested he roll down the top of his suit—he declined. He knew exactly how he wanted to appear.

Niz Niz… he was right!

3 notes

I met Rich at Ditch Plains five years ago today. It was early May and it was a warm day, but was it really that warm? His swim trunks say it all.

There were only a few people on the beach, so we got to talking and I asked Rich if he would pose for me.  He said, “sure”, but first he was going to go for a walk. He reappeared about three hours later. I know-it was a long walk. By that time the tide had gone out and left a perfect stage of textured rocks for Rich pose on for this shot. I just loved his weathered surf board, his open and frank expression. For me, the best images are those that make us think about our relationship to the sea. Is this a man, a fish, a surfer? 

Later that summer Rich came back to the beach with his kids, Richard and Annamarie.