Peter J. Crowley

Fine Art Photographer

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Neighbors faces around the block and beyond.

08.24.2021 by Peter J. Crowley // 8 Comments

Some of the people I’ve met on the street around the block and beyond.

A familiar face around by circle.

V.A.C.A.T.I.O.N cause it’s summertime.  An old song from an old guy.

August 19th around noon dogs pose for their close up. 

August 21st I came upon mom and dad. “Forget the Paparazzi  I need a nap.”

July 27th a hot day they pause to sit for a portrait. 

August 15th Steve pops in from Norwich Ct. Old friends who always come by when visiting relatives.  Steve, his brother and Jeanne make my day.

As bright as her Roses that I have been shooting for years. 

July 19th doing some yard work for her mom. Sweet when children are around to help their older parents. I have a sweet daughter who does things for me.

A friend up the street a journalist we often converse on media today and in the past.

One day when I was tall in the milk refrigerators at Safeway.  Her choice was on the top shelve looking for an employee I stepped in reached it for her and she said yes to a portrait. 

July 7th out strolling I needed a place to sit and tie my shoes. I called to her can I come sit in the other chair? To tie my shoe? We sat for 5-10 minutes talking before she agreed be photographed.  Sparkling eyes.

 

Peace pjc

 

Categories // B+W Portrait, Color Fine Art, Eyes, Faces, Great People, Humanity, Norwich Ct, Olympia Wa., Smiling Eyes, Street Photography, Summer, Thurston County, Washington Tags // B+W Fine Art Photography, Color Fine Art photography, Humanity, Olympia, Portraits, Seasons, Simplicity, Street Photography

A Recent Vision Quest, The Shire with Ents leading to Boston Harbor

06.07.2020 by Peter J. Crowley // 6 Comments

Thurston County now in Phase Two. Not running out to a restaurant anytime soon but I can get in a car to see more then the neighborhood.

New visual stimuli freedom. 

The Shire perhaps there is an Elf dancing in the soft dappled light? Magic is here for sure. Burfoot State Park appearing in the role of The Shire. Seventy two days with the same 3-5 block walk. My eyes awoke to see many highlights to create magic.

A smiling Ent greets us as we enter the Shire on my Vision Quest. A child walks past her little excited voice ” hello we are going through the forest to the beach.” 

The forest lush, silence broken by a breeze rustling the spring leafs. Birds punctuate the stillness with songs of delight. One one hundredth of a second at F-7.1. I linger just watching studying my composition. Keeping the highlighted maple sapling at the bottom with space between the frame holding my eye within the frame. Finding the angle to best carry a shallow DOF across the photograph.  A sense of peace rolls through me with each breath that comes easier with the clean air and new inhaler. 

I moved a few paces the forest had so much to offer. Detail seeing what is there focus, refocus the breeze is robust a challenge to sharpness and creating a defused puddle of light in the background. Placing the highlighted repeating shapes around the subject. The negative space should caress my subject keeping your eyes in the frame. I made two exposures and still haven’t decided which will be in this spot when I click publish. 

Outside the Boston Harbor Marina a little more dappled light a thin overcast ideal light still directional but the contrast curve isn’t as steep. We used to call this Kodachrome Light. 

The Marina was everything I hoped for memory flashes of Rhode Island, and Maine. A funky little store a small dinning room with a wood stove and comply chairs. I think during non pandemic times there is live music. 

Ilesboro Maine  to visit friends from high school back in Coventry. The docks in Little Compton R.I. rusty freezers working to keep the catch cool. My vision beyond what is there to what emotion is created. I want my work to seem like a story not finished you complete the image with your vision quest. 

The cook, I caught her outside asked could I shoot her?  An image that isn’t a flower but just as bright. A beautiful spring day with a lovely cook in the spring time of life. So long without a human subject two shot’s thirty seconds I’m pleased. She makes a mean batch of shoestring fries as well.

My learning curve is not so level digital B+W. Here when I made this shot I was thinking B+W but lots to be done after conversion. Too much, here the soft light was a problem the shore line gray’s and greens were tonally the same. I worked to get more drama in the clouds. I spent more time in PS on this then all the other images combined. A bit of contrast and brightness in the Shire almost right out of the camera for the rest. Maybe shoot RAW when I want Black and White. I will learn to simulate TriX.

Triangles a way to see and use negative space. Wood paddles to go with a kayak. Shot in open shade with total shade underneath that is how even the light was this day.  A very low tide a good time to make this photograph. It is always a good day to photograph sometimes a great day for a vision quest. 

peace

Another story

 

Categories // A Life in Photographic Art, Between Here and There, Beyond the surface, Color Fine Art, Journeys between here and there, Olympia Wa., Photographic Art, Smiling Eyes, Spring, Washington Tags // Blending the past and the present, Color Fine Art photography, Humanity, Olympia, Simplicity

My History, My Face

02.10.2020 by Peter J. Crowley // 13 Comments

Mar Lea appts. Ashford CT. First place I lived after the marriage split. A dark time Kirsten visits rarely from daily adventures, out to lunch. Gardening, walking with her ducks to Fritz’s. New things found and once  in a while lousy pancakes.  Now just a day and a half twice a month if I was lucky.

Madison Ct. at Jim and Carla’s visiting for the weekend of the Durham fair. A Molson Golden Ale, a Lunar Pro and a Nikon F. tools of the trade. 

Olympia 2016 Molly’s photo of me and my journal. 

Cosey Beach E. Haven Ct. 1972? We lived on the water or at times in the water. Perched on a little knoll around 17 inches above sea level. But winter storms combined with a full moon the water got very close. Hurricanes flooded the street on the non sound side. Yikes motor boats evacuations we watched, friends would come to see for power of nature eating brownies watching waves crashing over two story cottages party on….WOW!

My Intern Molly Walsh did a series of me in May 2017. A Punk Rock Juke Box tee a Conn College dance print. Editing, archiving a process that continues slowly. A braided beard, art direction and photo by Inara. 


January 2020 a Zoo York tee from Kirsten one of three keeping me warm. Liz my care giver has learned to use my camera like Inara they do well with this odd subject. 

An outtake from my Press Pass photo at the Stratford News 1973. The free press news feature weekly, The Shakespeare  Theater, day to day life community news.  A hippie photo journalist accepted by the community.

This from 1972 previous from ’73 a year and a half later after a trim. “Your hair is getting good in the back” Frank Zappa. This pass still resides in my wallet. From the 70’s to the mid 2014 in Ct. a ticket to almost everything. 

peace pjc

Categories // A Life in Photographic Art, East Haven Ct., Faces, Identity, Life, Olympia Wa., Smiling Eyes, Washington Tags // Blending the past and the present, Humanity, Olympia, Portraits, Seasons

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