Living in a New England seaport town makes me more accessible to the ever-changing marine environment that surrounds me.  There are moments when I am exploring this tidewater environment (hiking, canoeing, boating, sailing, wading and/or fishing) that fill me with a sense of wonder, causing an emotional response that excites and inspires me to try to capture this experience on film.

Learning about this meeting place between land and sea from the local watermen and women who clam, lobster, hunt and fish, has improved my ability to observe, appreciate and be more keenly aware of the simple natural beauty that I otherwise would have overlooked.  Every excursion into the great salt marsh deepens my respect and appreciation for this ecosystem.  This direct visual encounter motivated me to document my own personal view of the salt marsh beginning in the summer of 1999 as a 2 year project to produce a photographic essay on the “SALT MARSHES of Northern Essex County”.  I have in place plans to actively seek a sponsor to have this photo essay published in order to share my vision of the great salt marsh with others.

I have photographed the obvious day-to-day scenes and events as well as the more unusual aspects of the salt marsh and it’s ecosystem.   This project records on film my visual interpretation of the barrier beaches, creeks, dunes, estuaries, grasses, people, rivers, uplands and wildlife that make up the great salt marsh.

When first encountered, salt marshes are not as striking as a majestic mountain scene or a rocky shore, nor are they fully appreciated and are often taken for granted .  The more I explore and experience the salt marsh, the more it inspires my awe and admiration.  There is no lack of subject matter to be photographed.  When visiting the salt marsh, I am usually alone and can concentrate on a variety of subjects without being sidetracked.  This enables me to develop a visual representation of what I see through black and white photography.

I use black and white film because I believe it is the best medium to record my vision of the moment and capture the essence of the mood and light, thus representing how I remembered a particular scene or event.  I prefer to use a 35 mm camera because of it's portability and easy setup, which enables me to quickly respond to the changes brought on by the ebb and flow of the tides, weather and seasons.