Cultural and Architectural Connections Across Space and Time

"Every house in this village is older than your country." Thus explained a Seoul National University architecture student I met while photographing a South Korean folk village in 1986.

This long view of history gives me much needed perspective on the relative immaturity of the United States as a nation, although the 1,000 years of uninterrupted habitation at the Taos Pueblo in Arizona might give pause to my young friend.

Massachusetts boasts many of the first European settlements. Early for a dentist appointment, I stopped to photograph the Town Hall in Hadley, Massachusetts, all gussied up to celebrate the town's 350th year. I am fascinated by flags and chose to focus on the flag pole.

I was thinking stock photography when contrasting this sign's message with the freedom buntings. Before emerging from my car to shoot, I had listened to the last funk notes of Dazz Dazz (Disco Jazz) from the Dazz Band. The upbeat music inspired my visual explorations.

Town Hall

Then bells announcing 7 o'clock pealed at the next door First Congregational Church. Like monks I witnessed at a Buddhist monastery in Vermont who paused during their silent meal each time the telephone rang, I used the clock time chime as encouragement to cease activity and take a deep, meditative breath.

A temporary sign posted by the church noted its concurrent 350th celebration. Church and state, side by side, through time.

This fading church sign lettering evoked the crisp calligraphic scroll strokes I saw in a South Korean museum.

© 2009 John Nordell

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Drive-Thru Photography

I believe in the power of having a destination. I showed up to photograph the hot air balloon kick-off to the Green River Festival, in Greenfield, Massachusetts. However, rain delayed the launch. So I headed off for breakfast, consciously choosing to not take the most direct, habitual route.

It was really pouring when I passed McDonald's. I had watched the recent grounds makeover of this location and was interested in how the manicured lawn hemmed in by sidewalks and pavement looked non-natural.

I parked and shot through the drop splattered window, musing how consumers idling in fast food drive-thru chutes symbolize the twin issues of obesity and fuel waste.

I then laughed at my judgemental self: Here I am sitting in my car, avoiding getting wet, using fuel, driving around town taking pictures. Maybe I can recommit to the energy saving hypermiling approach to driving. Or, get out the bicycle.

Like approaching a ritual in a foreign land, I decided to experience the drive-thru. Since I eat healthy, I ordered a small orange juice.

While I waited for my order, I asked the server, Julie, about her Green Wave jacket. I found out that plays on the Greenfield High School basketball team and that the team did not do very well. She is a junior and takes some classes at Greenfield Community College for which she receives both high school and college credit. "You must be smart," I comment. Big smile. "I try to keep my grades up." And she is working at 6:30 Saturday morning!

After a delay, she sent me to window 2.

I asked this server if I could take a picture. "No, you are not allowed to take pictures here." So I pulled ahead a few feet and documented my catch. Note the quantity of packaging for a small oj.

Then off to breakfast at Denny's Pantry, a local joint. Across the street at Burger King, a uniformed man applied chemicals to lawn weeds. "Can I take your picture?" I asked. His reply was something like: "Sorry, but you can't. Even if 22 News (a local television station) showed up, I am supposed to pack up and leave."

Weeds poisoned, signs sprouted.
A clean, generic, stock photo.

A closer look, with the lens not attached to the camera.

Notes:

I never made it to the balloons, but having a destination led to a powerful experience.

I photographed the pesticide warning signs a few days after my McDonald's visit.

© 2009 John Nordell

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Reality,Tall Ships, Learning the Ropes and Battleship Grey

Last weekend I went over to the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston, Massachusetts to check out the visiting tall ships. I was nearly lying down when photographing the USCG Barque Eagle. Clean shot, eh?

Then I moved about six feet to my left and shot from the same low angle. Which image is reality?

In my classes on photography and ethics, I make the point that you do not need Photoshop to manipulate an image. Lens choice, angle, perspective, timing, and framing can present radically different "truths" of the same scene.

Speaking of reality, I treated these two images with a Lightroom develop module preset that emulates the rich saturated colors of Velvia film. I love it: how to make digital look like film.

"Learning the ropes literally and figuratively," is how Captain Eric Jones of the Barque Eagle explains the experience on the ship for Coast Guard cadets undergoing training. These are Captain Jones's medals and decorations.

Along with his many years of Coast Guard service, Captain Jones also participated in the MIT Sloan Fellows Program in Innovation and Global Leadership. I found this out from photographer Stuart Darsch, who documented a group of Sloan Fellows touring the ship with Captain Jones.

This officer saluted Captain Jones as he and the group approached the ship's steering wheel. Behind her is the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge.

Berthed across the pier from the Barque Eagle is the USS Cassin Young, a destroyer built during World War II.

So technically, the color is destroyer gray.

Naval Numbers

Working with this abstraction in the computer, I pushed for deeper blacks. I began to worry about losing detail in the darkest shapes, but then had this calming thought: "Does a painter worry if she has detail in her blacks"?

© 2009 John Nordell

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Highway Artistry: Deconstructing Putting America to Work

Seeing signs like this sprouting alongside highways sent me into photojournalist mode.

GILL, MASSACHUSETTS: Highway workers work on Route 2. The project is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Many road workers are grateful for increased work due to the economic stimulus package. 24 June 2009 ©John Nordell / The Image Works
However, something about the sign's elaborate crafting brought me back for a second, closer look.

I brought a step ladder so I could shoot on level with the graphics.

Here is the Great Seal of Massachusetts. I walked across the street and photographed this historical marker.

Captain William Turner with 145 men surprised and destroyed over 300 Indians encamped at this place. May 19, 1676 The event took place before Massachusetts - named for Native Americans living in the region - became a state.

Back to the sign. Contemplating this logo, I began thinking about how it's not just the road workers in my original caption that benefit from economic stimulus highway money. What about graphic designers, manufacturers of the these decals, sign component manufacturers and the lumber yards? I realized the sign's grand design and construction intentionally distributes money across a range of occupations.

Poking around across the highway, I came across this Bell System manhole cover. I was staggered by how the gear-like pattern so resembled that of the recovery.gov logo.

Layered History

I was excited how this multiple exposure came out, as it embodies the overlapping intricacies of history and economics.

© 2009 John Nordell

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Brother, Can You Spare 15 Minutes?

When I have a few minutes before what's next, I liberate my camera from the trunk and squeeze in some image making. I regularly get together with friends in Brattleboro, Vermont. Prior to the last few visits, I spent between three and twenty minutes photographing at Living Memorial Park.

Tracks next to the softball field.

Slapping five with the ball boy.

Celebrating arrival at third base during extra innings. The runner later scored to win the game.

Scoreboard

I drove to a higher vantage point for an establishing shot, but was more enamored with the mountains and clouds then clearly telling the story.

Then a shot with the lens not attached to the camera.

© 2009 John Nordell

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