all photos ~ (embiggenable)
BACK AND DECOMPRESSED FROM THE JERSEY SHORE where I accepted my self-imposed challenge of picturing the shore wetlands without succumbing to the “pretty picture” affliction. Point of fact, it wasn’t that much of a challenge once I assumed my New Topographics picture making persona.
I came away with 10-12 strong wetlands photographs–a mini body of work–but it was not the only body I created; in that regard, I offer for your consideration my Shore Still Life / Wastebasket work. Although, this work is actually a subset to my yet-to-be-organized wastebasket work–a body of work that has 25-30 photographs.
Next up, Jersey Shore photography wise, are a couple recent trip photographs that have the potential for development into bodies of work; life on the deck and despoiling Stone Harbor • the evolution of the Shore cottage. That written, neither concept undertaking is likely to happen for several reasons not the least of which is that this year may have been my last trip to the Shore–but I say that every year so who knows.
Re: life on the deck - the making of the photographs is a somewhat spontaneous activity. In the house in which we stay, my vantage point is at the kitchen table where I sit for my wake-up routine and where I work on my laptop throughout the day. So, I am somewhat “invisible” inasmuch as no one pays me much attention so life on the deck goes on without any real awareness of my picture making. At the other location I would stick out like a sore thumb inasmuch as everyone would know that my only reason for being there is to make pictures–in particular, at a very specific, narrowly defined location. That’s a spontaneity killer if ever there was one.
Re: despoiling Stone Harbor • the evolution of the Shore cottage - one of my primary dislikes about the Jersey Shore, Stone Harbor in particular, is that what was once a quirky, middle class, beach community with its own unique character (now gone with the wind) has been slowly overrun by the vulgarian, monied class. Ostentatious McMansions–most are 15-20,000 sq.ft. vacation homes–are everywhere and most are virtually hermetically sealed–that is to write, isolated from daily life on the street; although most have postage stamp sized front porches, over the past 20 years I have never, not once, seen a single person on those porches. All of that written, I can not envision any incentive for undertaking a project that illustrates this concept.
ASIDE FYI, needless to write, real estate values have moved into the stratosphere. The quaint bungalow cottage pictured above, were it to come up for sale, would be in the 1.5>2 million dollar range. END ASIDE
Re: Jersey Shore Wetlands - I really like the work. If there were a single reason to return to the Shore next year, spending the week pursuing this referent is it.
All of the above written, I accumulated 25 “keepers” during my Jersey Shore stay. They are good enough and varied enough to warranted a POD photo book. A book I am tempted to title as Jersey Shore Surfaces. And, in addition to a reasonably successful picture making trip, my other main accomplishment last week was the fact that I did not once set foot on the beach.