Abandonment: The human disappearance. Part II

Last week I made a post, the one below, containing images from a documentary project I am working on. I made a third trip to this location this morning. There is maybe one more possibly two more trips left before I will have completed the project in terms of photographing the location. Here are the images that I made this morning. Over the course of this week I will be scanning the film that I shot early last week. Working without a darkroom is very hard to do and requires a little bit more time to get the film processed. As you can see from these images though, I am focusing on the remnants of the human presence. Nothing in these photographs has been constructed to add to the composition. Everything that I have photographed was and is left in the disarray that I have found it. There are a few more images to be made that really emphasizes the sudden and abrupt disappearance and abandonment of this property. Though the area outside of the building is shaping up for development, it really begs to question, why all of a sudden were only certain belongings taken and so much more left behind. On that note, I will end with this: there are more photographs to come that show the quick and impromptu vanishing of people. 

 

 

 

Abandonment: The human disappearance. A photographic essay.

Passing this location three times a week I began to notice the changes that were being made. The house began to change, fade away, become a memory. The changing landscape is paving way for a new development. The human presence has taken a once beautiful home and vacated it, leaving nothing but waste, debris, and memories. As I was passing this location 3 days prior I noticed the sunlight hitting a set of mattress in the back of the house. This image is what compelled me to investigate the property. Twice now, using two different formats, (film and digital) I have made photographs that show the remains of the human presence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boston Massachusetts: Valentines day and more

On Valentines day I took a day trip to Boston. I took with me a beautiful girl and my Nikon film body. I barely made any photographs because of the nature of my visit, but made sure that I had a camera with me just incase. I had with me 2 rolls of Tri-X 400 speed black and white film. My black and white film choice. I spent the day meandering around the city and made a trip over to Cambridge, Ma as well.  As we ventured around the city exploring new and familiar landmarks we enjoyed the visual elements the city had to offer. From a Rockwellesque Frog pond in the commons to the historic sights of Harvard’s campus, we spent the day taking in new experiences. As night fell, we made our way over to the famous Northend to take in a most delightful and decadent  dinner at the very well known Lucia Ristorante After that we made our way through a very beautiful park just past the Lewis Wharf on the back bay. The arch ways of the park were lit up with blue and white lights that dotted the arches like a surreal-electric ivy growing around the wood. All in all it was a very beautiful day. Shortly after we made our way home for the night.

The following day I took another trip back to the city. This time I went to meet with a friend and bring him back home with me. We spent the day walking through Boston, the commons, Newbury st, Kenmore Sq and headed back over to Quincy Market place. I was traveling with my Nikon Pro Dslr this time. I had more time and flexibility to shoot than the previous day. Which to me was completely fine. The day before was set aside for a much more romantic setting than shooting. Though, as I explained it on Valentine’s day, I cant not got to Boston and at least have some sort of camera with me, you know, just incase there is that one moment we share, see, or can capture. That one image that could be looked back on as memory we other wise would have forgotten.

So, we walked through some more familiar locations, places I used to visit regularly this time last year when I was living in Cambridge. Below are a few photographs and panoramas I made while out there on Monday, following Valentine’s day.

 

This is one of my favorite spots in the Commons. The bridge I was standing on was the back drop for Mel Gibson’s latest box office drama. Edge of Darkness

This was the first time I ever took a bus while in Boston. I much preferred taking the T vs. a bus. I just know the T much better than I do a bus. Although I did make good use of being on one.

 

This is a scene from the much known Newbury st. A shopaholics mecca for expensive fashionable, trendy, beautiful boutiques, stores, and some of the city's biggest fashion names. Like Burberry and Loius Vitton 

 

This is one of the oldest areas in Boston. It is between the Northend and Quincy Market place. It is a very historic district with some fabulous brick buildings. Remincient of Holyoke 

 

This is, ( a very obscured panorama) of the park I mentioned above. The one that in the summer has roses growing all over the trellises. It was a very romantic stroll through as the blue and white lights illuminated the path.  

 

 

 

When I moved back from Cambridge in the late spring last year two things happened. 1. I left my heart in the greater Boston area. and 2. I came back to Holyoke to launch my studio and business. Which I am planning on expanding outwards back into the Boston and Cambridge area. I have a certain fondness for the historic aspects and qualities of Boston and especially Cambridge. Parts of Cambridge I had not visited since I had left last year. It was wonderful to see these places and sights again, furthermore it was a serious delight to be able to share them with the beautiful girl that accompanied me on our wanderings about the area.