Holyoke

It has been a while....

2012-01-17T21:02:00.000-08:00

That is so very true, it has been quite some time sine I have written anything for this blog. It is not that I have forgotten, been to busy, or decided not to, its just so very complicated to get blogger to function well with my MAC's. In fact, it is incredibly hard to manage a photo blog using a mac. I have used software to help write posts, but it kept failing. Each piece of software I would try, inevitably would just fail me. The other issue being that I am using blogger and not wordpress. Everyone knows that wordpress comes with ease when you sign up, but I had chose to work with blogger when I began this blog back in 2009. I was using a pc platform with windows live edit, I believe. That made posting images simple and easy. No confusion. No Fuss. Just images and posts.

Moving forward.. We are halfway through January and Holyoke is going through some major changes. For the first time in years, I mean a long time, Holyo

ke is being discussed, very frequent thanks to Alex Morse, the City Council, and the citizens that have a vested interest in creating a New Holyoke. Holyoke being a former Post Industrial City is moving forward seeing better and brighter days. As a beacon of light emanates from the Holyoke, every other city in Western Ma should be envious of the strides that Holyoke is taking. A city with much more possibilities for growth, reward, and prosperity, Holyoke outshines every other city at the moment. That is not to say that Holyoke is better than any where else, it is a statement that places value in what Holyoke has to offer. Unlike other cities, Holyoke is a diverse community with active citizens that are dedicated themselves to creating positive change and boost the city to a higher plateau. Holyoke is coming from grey-er days. Days of violence, arson, high unemployment rates, high teen pregnancy, and abandoned buildings. I have met many more optimistic people than pessimistic people, but there is still a school of thought that is lead to such beliefs, Are we going to see a better Holyoke. Well, if you can't see that the answer is yes, I would strongly recommend a second look. Perhaps a closer glance at how Holyoke is really is a diverse community comprised of people creating and generating a change. It has been happening for years now. One of the greatest things that I have heard in a while came in conversation today, "People are no longer afraid to come down here. They are no longer afraid of the down town section." And it is true. More and more people seek to view the beauty that is Holyoke. And there is a lot of beauty. Not just because I see it once and a while or because there is a few features that are pretty, but because there is so much beauty in the city, that you can see it at just about any time of the day. But of course, you have to make an effort to see it, understand it, and most importantly, appreciate it.

As a Professional Photographer I am concerned with how images represent and speak about their subject matter and content. Each composition has a story, a visual narrative that can speak and create an understanding with its viewer. I have been in the process of organizing my images as I am setting to launch a website in the next two weeks. It has been a long time coming, but the site is almost already. There of coures will be a Holyoke section listed under Social Documentary. However, I am providing a link here, Holyoke On Flickr, that has a small collection of my images. I implore you to investigate, read, study, and visualize the city in which we love so much. The city that we are a part of. The city we call home. Photography is a vehicle for communicating, sharing what we see, and creating a visual dialog. For me it is pretty simple, I am visually representing the city that I see. The city that I hope we can all see. The city we are all a part of.

Photos Copyright Jeffrey Byrnes

jeffreybphotography.com

Thank you.

Holyoke Canal Walk "Fair"

2011-10-09T22:14:00.001-07:00

To be fair (no pun intended) is to say that the turn out on the Canal Walk Fair, was, well just that, "fair." You can say it very simply as, poor advertising and marketing of the event. It was great day for such an event. It was sunny, it was beautiful, it was slight unseasonably warm, yet a great day to have been able to make it out. Last year our studio was located right there on the Canal Walk and we knew about this even well in advance. Our studio is a block away now and news never made it down there. I found out late on Friday that the event was taking place. I had not seen a word of it advertised on the web. Facebook of course failed to notify me of such event. But, I must say, it was a good turn out in terms of vendors. I expect the Holyoke Sun will have a nice article about it. I snapped a few photos while I navigated around and spoke with familiar faces.

Alex Morse came out in support. He was quickly engaged into a conversation about his ideas and views.

Alex was handing out buttons that say: "I Love Holyoke" I first saw this button on his shirt when Alex was at the Crush Block Party. I was pretty happy when he handed me one.

Among the vendors were a number of artists. Each artist had their works available for purchase. One portrait artist was also set up to draw a rendition of you for a fair price. Everywhere you turned there was a little bit of creativity being marketed and sold. One such vendor, Elton Braithwaite was sculpting and carving into wood. Standing in the sun, Elton carved away with his tools as people stopped and admired his skill and craft as he turned, tapped, hammered, and brushed away the wood chips leaving behind an image imbedded into the wood.

Pausing for a moment, Elton looks at his piece with admiration.

I get all the frames for my studio and our clients done from a local framer in town. Debbie, the owner of The Muse Custom Framing and Gallery was a vendor for the Canal Fair. If you are not familiar with The Muse, I urge you to take a visit. She does more than just frame your works, photos, art, she has an entire line of custom matts, gifts, and Holyoke memorabilia. She is located at 220 S Water St, just under the 391 Underpass, off of Main St.

I firmly believe that something beautiful can be amplified by where you place it. This car stuck out and was the subject of a few quick conversations. I took liberty in making my way over and making a few portraits of this fine automobile. Including one little panorama.

All in all, it was great day in Holyoke. To end a beautiful day, I joined friends for a little football and food.

Holyoke Townie Stickers

2011-10-06T06:28:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen those clever little stickers that say Townie Holyoke, MA, and thought, "I want one of those?" Well you can get one by clicking this image on the right hand side of the site.

Wednesday Sunset

2011-09-16T13:01:00.001-07:00

Wednesday evening after finishing up our last senior portrait session in the studio I left with my business partner to go run an errand. The setting sun perfectly and poeticaly lit the evening up. The moving dust and dirt from the construction on the high performance computer center created a beautiful display as it passed through the light. It caught my attention as we were passing. The haze from the heat on Wednesday left us with an incredible sunset, one of few we have left as summer is folding up.

Here are a few photos.

Holyoke Dam: Night After Irene

2011-09-02T19:11:00.001-07:00

I made some photos just after the rain let up on Sunday. I also made a few the following evening at the Robert E. Barrett Fishway in Holyoke. I produce a video, which you can also see on Lenshare, from both sides of the dam. To view both the photos and the videos, visit: http://www.lenshare.com/2011/08/hurricane-irene_31.html

Here are a few I made on Monday night. The cloud you see just above the river was forming due to the temperature and the moisture. It was rather interesting to watch the cloud form and move higher up.

Road Work

2011-08-11T12:00:00.001-07:00

Whether your passing through quickly, have a destination down the street, or you need to make your way through the city for some other form of business, Holyoke has its share of constriction and repairs being made. Most of the road work is not very troublesome, but necessary. At the corner of Race and Dwight, ( the intersection where my business resides ) was being worked on yesterday. The section of Dwight to Main was closed due to the construction. The repair was mandatory and very much needed, as when it rains, the streets and drains back up. In the winter this creates lots of ice. When it rains, this create puddles of marginal size, making parking a wet journey. Here is a quick image made as a response to the construction as I was passing through Holyoke yesterday, going from one shoot to another.

Nice Day

2011-08-10T09:09:00.001-07:00

It is a beautiful, warm, summer day. Get up. Go for a walk. Take a gender at the beauty of the summer before it is gone.

That Dam Cafe

2011-07-27T18:09:00.001-07:00

After a great shoot in the studio, my business partner and I headed out to check on a location for a wedding this coming weekend. Hungry and already on Northampton St, (rt 5) for the non-townies, we decided sandwiches from The Dam Cafe was in order. I have made numerous references to the Dam through this site, have put up a few photos here or there, some every where. But, lunch was great! I have a few more photos to include from today. Nothing special, just a few shots in passing really.

Stepping out side of the city for a little while on business, I know, I know, "why leave Holyoke?" Well, some times we have to, we took a drive to Montgomery to view a location we have never had a wedding at yet. A quaint little church nestled half way between 01040 and the Birkshires, it will be alive Saturday afternoon with the soft spoken buzz of new love, "I DO!'s, and tears of love and joy. We look forward to every wedding, but when we get to meet the couple for the first time, (out of state residents who booked with us), it will be a truly special day to capture their love and their moments.

Tuesday Showers...

2011-07-26T20:55:00.001-07:00

I first noticed the sky change from a that familiar blue we know and love to see on a summer day, to the threatening grey, dark with contrast and rich with electricity, while sitting in the Dam Cafe. Moments before the light rain drops turned to a flash flooding down pour of rain and hail, I made my way back to the car with a friend. The rain beat down so hard it was almost impossible to drive. Combined with these treacherous driving conditions, the streets quickly filled up with rivers and pools of water and ice. Within minutes the rain was washing away the beauty of the summer day and bringing with it a wake of destruction that left homes destroyed, cars inoperable and stuck in flooded out intersections, trees on roofs, and a building that looks like a massive ball bounced its way through, tearing the roof and walls apart. It is a day similar to June 1st, but will less damage. The fears of that day were re-instilled in many as they came out into their communities to witness and take a close look at what had happened. Holyoke, like Chicopee had a real sense of communal bonding as the members of each neighborhood came out to assist one another. "We as a community are helping each other," one man said to to me as I was passing by. "You should get a picture of that," he continued to say. I nodded my head and expressed that I had done so already while he was busy directing cars away from the flooded out underpass. In Chicopee, near my parents house, it was a similar story. Random people passing by, or out with intentions of helping and assisting those afflicted with damage, stopped with their equipment, chain saws and rakes and took liberty in helping people they did not know. If it is one positive thing that we can take from June 1st, it is the re-newed sense of neighbor and community. People unselfishly came to the assistance of people they did not know, asking for nothing more than a chance to help. Occasionally a news crew would pass, take notice of the damage and in their unbiased and less sympathetic view, narrated the story of what happened. More adventurous individuals toted their camera to grab the picture of the fallen tree. Not with intentions of telling the reality of the situation, but more so as a record of what happened. Some people, with no inhibitions, carefully exposed the vulnerability of the home owner by making a photograph of the front of their homes. Walking through my parents neighborhood, groups of people passed by with their cameras, pacing themselves stopping to view which house was worse, and occasionally wandering into backyards to see some of the more private damages that occurred. The power of the camera to record these moments is handed off as the image is uploaded to the computer from the card, shared with friends, family, and even neighbors. It was a sad sight to see the landscape having changed so quickly. It will take some time to rebuild, but brighter days will shine, as less trees are in place to block the sun.

Wednesday Evening Walk Through

2011-07-14T20:19:00.001-07:00

Wednesday night was beautiful out. After doing a little bit of work in the studio, I took a stroll with my business partner through downtown capturing the setting light. We happened upon the site of the former Mastex building. During some of the demolition a portion of the building came down onto the sidewalk that was on the same side of the street as the building. As the heat broke, so did a section of the building, causing an issue that needed to be cleaned up. In a conversation with a police officer, he gave us a quick synopsis of what happened. The unit was stationed outside of the site to ensure no one would enter the site. As I stood next to the bright, almost glowing caution tape, I could hear the uneasy sounds of the building. It was a sad moan. The remaining fragments of the building stood sad, creaking, and moaning in discontent from having partially collapsed onto the sidewalk. The aroma of mill and post industrial manufacturing filled the immediate area. For me, that stench is familiar, as an explorer of a city rebuilding itself after its economical and industrial fallout, I have stood in many buildings that have similar sights, sounds, and displeasing smells. In a very short time, the landscape will, again, be permanently altered, as the new construction will soon rise in its place.

The cool air that filled the city created some wonderful colors that helped illuminate the soft clouds. The light passing through the clouds was as much a subject matter as the elements of the city that were half lit by the setting sun. With the sun coming to a quick setting, our time seeing the city through the lens was also coming to an end. Dinner plans were in the works and we had standing reservations to get to. It was another beautiful evening in the city that turned to a great night.

Holyoke City Hall Tower

2011-07-06T11:13:00.000-07:00

It was very late in the afternoon on a warm Monday when I headed over to city hall. I parked my car next to the parking garage and threw some change in the meter. I slid the side door open to my van to access my camera and my equipment. I turned and made my way to the door crossing the street and the parking deck. After a conversation, an elevator ride and a few flights of stairs, I stood at the base of the tower. The wooden stairs, worn with foot steps, stood as a testament to the highest man-made point in the city. The worn wooden stairs are not a heavily trafficked path, but rather a path made by foot steps of people that came before us. History has climbed the stairs one creak, board, and step at a time. Names and dates carved into the wooden railings, beams, and occasionally a step marked the sign of who has been there and when. Inscribed in the wood not as a form of antique graffiti, but as a means to show for one having been there, almost like a clue or a trace back to their existence. I began documenting what I was able to witness in the area where the bell lays. One of the fascinating and exciting finds was the discovery that the bell was made just for Holyoke City Hall. Stamped with the date 1876, I stood facing a piece of monumental history. The shutter echoed around the room as I fired away. Shooting downward views from the mesh covered openings. Periodically I would make a snapshot with my cell phone, as a means to upload quickly or send to someone to verify where I was at the time. Less than a handful of people knew I was exploring the upper most portion of the city. Only during the time I was up there did one image get sent out to someone.

Taking the time to walk up every step and admire the beauty and craftsmanship of this monument was breathtaking. The amount of time, effort, and work needed to produce this building was both impressive and inspiring. I said aloud to the friend that escorted me in, "Imaging standing on the outside of this and being the one building it?" It was a scary thought to contemplate, but nevertheless, a thought that some people didn't even consider when standing on the outside of this massive building. Not to be compared to other buildings in terms of height, but still a tall structure nevertheless. It can be seen from a far and admired for its grand appearance in the way it peaks above the rest of the city. I spent nearly an hour and a half exploring the spaces I was maneuvering through. By the end the heat had soaked my shirt with sweat and I had filled an entire memory card up. I stood in such fascinating locations as directly behind the clock faces. I was watching time, from where I was standing go in the opposite direction. One of the clock faces is not working. Disconnected for a reason unknown to me. I made a photograph of time frozen. Pressing the shutter and freezing the stopped clock face through my lens was a metaphor that left me with a more surreal feeling than the first few steps I took up the tower. It wasnt long before I stood at the upper most, very highest peak of the building. I was able to look out over almost the entire city. I saw views that took my breath away. I stood for a moment. Just stood there to reflect on where I was and the steps I just climbed. It was a secluded spot that yield such breath taking views. It was a great place to stand and think for a few minutes. Everyone always has someone on their mind, that one person they would like to share something like that with. I made that my final thought while grabbing my camera to make some images of where I stood. In the course of an hour and a half, I had made it to the top of the City Hall Tower with my camera. I left behind my foot prints and took back with me sights that not many people get to see. Below is the link in which you can view the gallery of images from my time in the tower.

Holyoke City Hall Tower Photos

In passing...

2011-06-13T23:39:00.001-07:00

In recent weeks I have been extremely busy working and shooting weddings, setting up for senior portraits that we are currently booking for, visit http://WWW.true-resolution.com for more details, and working to capture little league baseball and softball. Some days I do not have time to produce some images and run joyfully back to the studio to edit them. Instead, I use my Droid to capture images while on the run. My phone is an extension of my business, as a tool used it producing quick images, social networking as well as business networking, emailing, and being able to edit and manipulate photos that I capture when my pro gear is tucked away or just not conducive to the moment of being on the fly. It also works great when I am trecking around some trials, taking a break while running, or in passing while on the trail with my bike. Or like this evening when I was on my way out of the city, fo head out to Boston to work on a project.

Here is a small sample of images I've produce while in between working and production.

Photos Available at The Dam Cafe

2011-06-05T20:02:00.000-07:00

I currently have several photos hanging at The Dam Cafe. I am offering 10% off plus 60% of the sale of each print will go to benefit the victims and those affected by the tornadoes last week.

If you have any questions, please contact me at jeffreybphotography@gmail.com

Gallery of images from Springfield and other areas: Western Mass Tornado Aftermath

Ashley Reservoir

2011-05-31T17:58:00.001-07:00

It was a nice night for a run around Ashley.

Farmers Market at Open Square

2011-05-26T07:04:00.001-07:00

Open Square will be hosting a Farmers Market every Saturday from 9-1 pm. You can view more information by visiting, http://opensquare.com/current-events.php?evpid=23

HH Richardson Train Station

2011-05-12T10:47:00.000-07:00

What currently sits as an urban gallery displaying a large sampling of Krylon colors, spray-painted pieces of art, the HH Richardson Train Station is awaiting its next phase of life. The train station is going to be part of a larger project involving bringing an active line to Western Ma, naming Holyoke as a stop. This is great new for the city, especially the immediate area. The new station, plus the second phase of the Canal Walk within walking distance, will surely generate some traffic to the beautiful down town area.

For those who are un-aware of or are not familiar with who HH Richardson was or his vast impact on Architecture, you can get a better sense by reading this:

HH Richardson Wiki

Below are a few of my photos from the trip in. There was a lot of people who attended the trip in. I couldn't make a nice image of the full exterior at the time because of the vast amount of people.

Looking out the window.

2011-05-07T19:34:00.001-07:00

On Friday our studio doors opened up to be a part of the opening for Paperworks at 80 Race Street, hosted by paper city studios. In working with the theme of works on paper, we hung large photographs made from the windows of our space. They will be up for a few more days, you can view them from Main street, just before the turn onto Dwight St.

Holyoke in April

2011-04-24T23:47:00.001-07:00

As the saying goes, "April showers bring May flowers," this weekend was a prime example of the consistent shift in the weather. Holyoke may not be directly in the middle of New England, but she does see dramatic shifts in the weather like every other city. Today, while I was strolling the beach in South Boston, there was sun and 70 degree temperatures. On the phone with our studio intern, who was enjoying a day in Holyoke, she reported the light drizzle that was falling. Not a surprise, not something to second guess, or even really think about. With a quick wit and an expression of how I much rather prefer the conditions I was in the conversation shifted back to the original intention for the call, but that is neither here nor there. Over the course of the weekend, Holyoke got its fair share of dramatic weather conditions, each providing a different dynamic in terms of images and conveyed beauty. Below you can get a grasp of just how diverse each day was in terms of the weather and the New Englandness that blew over Holyoke. Hopefully we will not have a rainy summer. I have not confirmed with my grand mother yet, as that old bird can tell you the weather better than, cough, cough, Laughis, err, I mean Lapis.

Meet Will Ferral, the feral cat. Don't you just want to invite him in?

This next photograph is partially iconic as it has a representative quality that goes back to an urban legend.

The "legend" states that during a repair to the dam, a second diver made the attempt to repair the hole. Successfully he did so, never to be recovered from the waters. The diver went down with no safety rope, like the first diver. The first diver's body was recovered via rope. The legend states the hole is closed because of the body of the second diver, (name alludes me and google at the moment), as he was never recovered and because the hole was fixed after he went down. What you believe, is of course, all up to you.

Saturday night there was quite a bit of fog. It rolled in and took stock over the city, leaving a tranquility about the city that other wise wouldn't have existed.

Before Saturday night.

Copy Right Jeffrey Byrnes Holyokeinphotos.com RightclickisacrimeNOTACOMPLIMENT

Holyoke: Blanketed in Fog

2011-04-24T00:10:00.001-07:00

Getting back into the city on the later side, I was greeted with a blanket of fog passing by on the streets. It was on the warmer side, not to chilly, the perfect night to capture the fog. With the silence in some sections of the city, it had an other worldly quality about it. The fog added a mysterious peace and beauty to an otherwise seemingly ordinary Saturday night. I stopped at the studio and grabbed my camera and made my way out to a few specific locations I had seen on the way in to grab my camera.

Copy Right Jeffrey Byrnes Holyokeinphotos.com Rightclickisacrime!

Vote Vega: Move Holyoke Forward

2011-04-20T15:06:00.001-07:00

This campaign season City Councilor Aaron Vega has a well produced clip that can be seen here. Take a look, and see how passionate he is in moving the city forward.

Vega For Holyoke

Holyoke Fire Department Quickly Extinguish Blaze

2011-04-16T17:32:00.001-07:00

I reached for the magazine sitting far back on the shelf of the magazine rack in Barns and Nobel as my phone chimed in. A burst of three text messages interrupted my train of thought as I went to turn the pages. It must have been important if I received three in a row, I thought to myself. I checked. "Fire on Laurel ST", is what I read. "Oh crap!" I uttered aloud. My business parter turned questioning what the exclamation was pertaining to. "Theres a fire, lets go." Moments later we were on our way to the scene. A second text came through. "It must be major, they called for additional equipment." My heart sunk. As we made our way closer to the scene, we couldnt see any smoke. Puzzled, we found an officer blocking a section of the road next to South ST. Parking, in the dry cleaner's parking lot, we headed down the road. A group of fire fighters were taking a small break from fighting the blaze just on the corner before the building. Still seeing no smoke, we assumed something much worse was taking place. At that point we still had no idea what had occurred. We saw not flames, but instead a scene of high emotions. The fire department had successfully contained the blaze and suppressed the flames. We do not know the severity of the damage to the building at this time. The individuals and fire fighter that were taken to the hospital are in our thoughts and prayers. A special thank you goes out to the Holyoke Fire Department and anyone who responded to todays scene.

Unique Views

2011-03-27T08:45:00.001-07:00

Often times projects I am working on show me sights and views noone has seen before or have not seen in a very long time.

Slowly but surely it is getting warmer out and the city is transforming from the misery of winter to the beauty of spring and summer, which has me working on some exciting projects.

Holyoke's Social Network and the Citie's Image

2011-03-21T21:59:00.000-07:00

Yes that is correct. Holyoke in fact does have it's own social network. How many other cities have their own social network that has lead to amazing social changes and social practices? Like I said the day of the St. Patricks Day parade, small towns/cities know how to do it. C.R.U.S.H is an amazing group of people who have come together with one cause, one care, one concern, one common "crush on the city." You may not be from the city, currently living in the city, but that doesn't mean you do not have a crush on Holyoke. Check it, become a member, contribute.

I put a note up on Facebook the other day pertaining to the sever stigma that the city is faced with.

"A few weeks back I had an interaction with a woman who refused to go to Holyoke, causing me to lose a client. It is unfortunate for her, as the service I would have provided is nearly impossible to find else where. Her response to where we are located, "the people with the guns will steal my brand new car." A comment that will not be forgetten anytime soon. I gave a short response and allowed her to make her comments and bid her a good afternoon. Moving forward a few weeks, on Friday after returning from Vermont, I took a few hours to meander around the city, make some photographs, and enjoy one of the first nicestes days of the season. With most of the snow gone, people are outside, walking around, coming out and enjoying the city. While I was walking up Cabot, a man saw my camera and struck a pose jokingly, when I advanced my camera forward to capture it, he again struck the pose. Stopping to talk with him, the people he was with, we engaged in a dialog about what I was doing. Excited he had just been photographed, he politely said have a great afternoon, to which I responded with the same and made my way about the city. I challenge most people when they say Holyoke is rough, Holyoke is tough, Holyoke is scary, Holyoke sucks. Well where is the stigama that most people associate with Holyoke? Not easily found, as I have never been held up for my car. Every city has its issues, sections that are tough, hard, low-economy, but when you know your subject matter, allow yourself to be non-threatening, and can connect with people, they will connect with you. It doesn't matter where in the world you live any more, violence occurs, seen or unseen, documented or undocumented, reported, or not reported, it happens in the public sphere as well as behind closed doors. It is only when people witness first hand do they pass judgement. Go to Holyoke, watch the people, they are not much similar than you or I, excpet their ethnicity, culture, etc.
A few weeks back I had an interaction with a woman who refused to go to Holyoke, causing me to lose a client. It is unfortunate for her, as the service I would have provided is nearly impossible to find else where. Her response to where we are located, "the people with the guns will steal my brand new car." A comment that will not be forgetten anytime soon. I gave a short response and allowed her to make her comments and bid her a good afternoon. Moving forward a few weeks, on Friday after returning from Vermont, I took a few hours to meander around the city, make some photographs, and enjoy one of the first nicestes days of the season. With most of the snow gone, people are outside, walking around, coming out and enjoying the city. While I was walking up Cabot, a man saw my camera and struck a pose jokingly, when I advanced my camera forward to capture it, he again struck the pose. Stopping to talk with him, the people he was with, we engaged in a dialog about what I was doing. Excited he had just been photographed, he politely said have a great afternoon, to which I responded with the same and made my way about the city.

I challenge most people when they say Holyoke is rough, Holyoke is tough, Holyoke is scary, Holyoke sucks. Well where is the stigama that most people associate with Holyoke? Not easily found, as I have never been held up for my car. Every city has its issues, sections that are tough, hard, low-economy, but when you know your subject matter, allow yourself to be non-threatening, and can connect with people, they will connect with you. It doesn't matter where in the world you live any more, violence occurs, seen or unseen, documented or undocumented, reported, or not reported, it happens in the public sphere as well as behind closed doors. It is only when people witness first hand do they pass judgement. Go to Holyoke, watch the people, they are not much similar than you or I, excpet their ethnicity, culture, etc."

It was also said well by our intern the other day, "Holyoke is what you make it." Make it greater than you expected.

Holyoke St. Patricks Day Parade

2011-03-20T22:02:00.001-07:00

St. Patricks Day

2011-03-17T08:56:00.001-07:00

Sun setting behind Holyoke.

Ye Old Bud: Ye Old Memories

2011-03-15T22:29:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday my cell phone chimed in with a new email alert interrupting whatever it was that I was doing at the time. Sliding my finger across the dandy opening screen, I was greeted with a new email to our business account. Nothing new, no big surprise, I get a dozen emails to that account on the daily. What was new, was the depth of the emotional response that was very heartfelt, touching, and personal. I am going to share a part of that email, as the photographs I made of Ye Old Bud back in January manifested an emotional response which warranted the email. I am very thankful for receiving the feed back, as it really resonates with me, that what I photograph is not just connected to me through my lens, but to the viewers who read my photographs. A large focus in my imagery is to provide a sense of communication, the literal message is always prevalent, as I strive to leave out the ambiguity that some photographers unknowingly place in their photographs.

"Jeffrey,
I am sitting at my desk at work and trying to fight back the tears. I justdid a google search on The Bud and came across your pictures along with someexterior pictures at another web site. I could not believe what hashappened to this beautiful old building. Your pictures brought back somewonderful memories from long ago. I left Mass in 1969 and have only beenback a few times since. The last time was about 18 years ago. At thattime, I went to The Bud since it had opened up again as a restaurant and itseemed in good shape at that time.

My father, leased the building back in the early to mid 60's. I spent a lot of time helping to get the place cleaned up and ready to open again as a night club. It became a very popular and successful nightclub back then..especially with the collegecrowd. I was always impressed by the beauty and craftsmanship of the building, also the quirkyness! I think of the place often.

Thank you for posting the pictures. They are beautiful but sad. I'm afraid that the building is probably a loss. I don't see how anyone would ever have enough money to restore it."

I found The Bud wide open in January when one my photographers called me saying he was standing outside the door, lock tossed to the side, chain gone, and the door left ajar. I put down the work I was doing and rushed right over, meeting my photographer at the front door. The door had not been opened a mere two weeks earlier when we had passed by looking at the area and scouting some locations. Parting ways, my photographer had to get on with his day while I stayed and photographed the space. It was the first time I had been inside the building. A short time later, my intern showed up and we proceeded to tour the building floor by floor. Stepping carefully, we walked back in time, quietly observing the history of the building, making photographs, documenting its current state of condition.

Moving forward a few weeks, I had met with Olivia from the Historic Commission. After seeing my photographs, she was moved even more than she had been, to save the building. The building, left with back taxes, is awaiting its fate...

Here is a video I cut this past evening to show the exterior of the building. If you have a story about The Ye Old Bud, I sincerely hope you will share it. You can email me directly any story, feeling, or emotional connection you have to the building. Who knows, maybe your stories will be a motivating factor, along with the photographs to persuade a change, spark an interest, and save the building and all the memories the walls share. After all, the shell of the building is a time capsule, a sort of liminal space, suffocating and awaiting new vitality to give it a breath again.

A few snapshots.

2011-03-15T15:50:00.001-07:00

A few samples

The Aesthetics of A Holyoke Building

2011-03-13T11:52:00.001-07:00

As the door creaks open, the aurora of old building greets us. Pungent at first, but as a few moments pass, the stench is replaced by the amazement of the conditions of the building. Left to sit for some 20-30 odd years, the building is a shell of memories, a time capsule to a dated past that no longer exists. The decor resembles a renovation that predates some of the industrial decline that can be seen throughout the city. Standing sad, lonesome, this building commands the attention of a developer that can provide more than just loving care. As we walked through the building, it was clear why it has sat for so long, effort of a collective set of helping hands is needed to make this building live again. With out the presence of human life, the building no longer lives, left to sit, soul-less, lifeless, suffocating. It would be a sincere shame to have this beautiful building become another vacant parcel, though, it would become a distilled space, a moment in time, a period of transition in which it would become another portrait in my series Vacancy. Below are photographs I have made from yesterdays tour. I hope, quite possibly, these photographs spark an interest in saving this building. A quick video will show some of the interior, beneath the photographs.

Video of 158 Maple St

When I am not walking around the inside of a building, documenting the conditions, I am running the day to day operations of our studio. Commonly people forget or are unaware that I run and own a studio with a business partner. It gets a little confusing when people only see one side of the work I do. The day before I went into 158 Maple St, I was working on a practice shoot, testing a space out for a much larger shoot to come. Here are a few photos from that shoot.

FIN
All photographs are copyright Jeffrey Byrnes and Lenshare Right click is not permissible.

Holyoke Purple Knights Wins The Division IIIA Western Mass Championship

2011-03-10T21:29:00.001-08:00

A well deserved congratulations goes out to the Purple Knights after their 3-2 win over Agawam. The pride of the fans was as intense as the game itself. You guys played a great game!

UMass Amherst student focuses on Holyoke...

2011-03-07T22:09:00.001-08:00

Stephanie Geiser, a UMass Amherst art student, is using Holyoke as the focus of her Thesis for a Bachelors in Fine Arts, concentration in Photography. Stephanie is concentrating on the Water St section of the city and is producing visual display of the plight of industrialism. The project is a conceptual look at time and space, designed to be presented to the viewer as walk through installation piece, this body of work will be a visual examination of a once thriving, economic powerhouse that helped drive the city. Her image/s will be re-contextualized in former mill space, in which the viewer will engage with and navigate through. I have had the pleasure of working with Stephanie on other projects as well as she is an intern at our studio. She has a been a beneficial help to our business in addition to be an exceptional photographer and artist. You can view a sample of her Holyoke photographs (not for her thesis) below.

You can find more examples of her work by visiting her website by clicking here Stephanie

This video is a behind the scenes clip that highlights the area she is focusing on.

Exciting things...

2011-02-27T23:32:00.001-08:00

It has been a short time since I have posted on here. I have been super busy both in studio and with on location work. I have some super exciting images to share in the next few days, and will be doing so as the week goes on. This weekend was very disheartening as I watched a building in Chicopee come down in a blaze of flames and emotions. You can view the images on Lenshare.com or Masslive.com/chicopeefire

Here are a few simple shots from my new cell phone. As I meander around town in my commute, I happen to make snapshots of the city from time to time...

Holyoke is grappling with too many Grauples

2011-02-03T18:33:00.001-08:00

So we have had quite a winter thus far. It is not over just yet. I found it to be a little contrived to be out shooting during the storms; so I went out last night for a bit and made some photos. All the images, minus the exposure adjustments, were photographed as you see them. No special edits were done to enhance the aesthetics of each image.

Oh Dam..Cafe That Is.

2011-01-19T04:24:00.001-08:00

To the right of this post, on the side bar, you will find a clickable link to The Dam Cafe. I am placing this on the site because it is a Holyoke based Cafe. Among others, it is one of the city's finest places to grab a coffee, burger and beer, or just meet up for a client meeting, professional meeting, or just a place to grab some time away with a book or your lap top for an afternoon of work. This is the kind of establishment where you are greeted by familiar faces and a friendly smiles from the other side of the counter. It is the kind of place, like the classic hit Cheers, where everyone knows your name. If you walk in and don't see a familiar face, well then, just have a seat and someone you know is bound to walk in. I frequent the cafe for meetings both business and personal. The atmosphere fused with the decor speaks professional, cool, yet even though we mean business, we are relaxed at the same time. This site picks up its fair share of hits world wide. This post is geared towards the out of town-ers passing through or visiting and want a great place for a sandwich or cup of their Dam good coffee. Don't take my word for it though, trust your own judgement and make a trip on in.

The Holyoke Landscape..Plus more

2011-01-17T14:38:00.001-08:00

A quick five minute drive from the flats, the heart of the urban landscape of Holyoke, you can arrive at Mt. Tom. Mt. Tom was once home to Mountain Park and a well known ski place. Both have closed and become memories. However, it is this short five minute drive up that completely changes. You go from row houses to rows of tall grass, landscapes, views of the neighboring cities, and vast amounts of nature. Mt. Tom holds a lot of beauty. When the mountain is capped with snow and catches the early morning sun, it glows vividly. When the early morning fog rolls off the side and blankets Holyoke it creates a mood unique to the city. Here are few photos from before the snow came.

Last week I had the pleasure of using the Dam Cafe as a backdrop for a portrait shoot. Local artist Katelyn Richards is releasing an album this month. The Dam Cafe made for a great location to work with her. Just a few samples below.

Holyoke in the snow

2011-01-12T22:58:00.001-08:00

So I guess we had a little bit of snow yesterday. It looks rather striking outside now that it really does look like winter.

Bud Part II and then some

2011-01-10T10:49:00.001-08:00

Yesterday yielded something interesting. Today, even more so.

I was out of town last week when Holyoke sustained the fires. Normally I would be found on scene. But, being in Boston for the weekend, I was unable to respond. I stopped in passing today. I was driving by the Main St building that had went up. I met a worker installing a new door on the adjacent building. The Fire Department had made their way through the existing door to extinguish the blaze next door. He said there was no fire damage to that building and gave me a tour of interior. It was quite interesting. I made a few photos on scene.

It is a real shame to see more buildings going up. Just another victim of abandonment and memories tarnished and burned to ashes in the flames of destruction.

Ye Old Bud

2011-01-09T15:40:00.001-08:00

Today while passing by working on a project the front door was wide open. The lock was cut and the gate has been broken into. The ply wood that was barricading the door has been unscrewed. The Bud, as it appeared, was open for business. I poked my head in and made a few photographs. The Bud was a backdrop back in 2009 for a project I have been working on Yoga In Unusual Spaces. Since then I have heard lose stories and bits of information. Until today, I had never seen the interior space. It was a walk back into time.

There is a certain charm and aesthetic to this building. To my knowledge, this charisma has already been sought out before me. I advise, with strong caution, please do not enter this space. The conditions of this building are very poor. The middle section of the building has folded in on itself, on every level except the ground level. Very shortly the front gate will be relocked.

It is an Exhibit

2011-01-05T09:45:00.001-08:00

Vacancy is hung. The opening is tomorrow evening (Jan 6th) from 6-8pm at the Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke, MA. These are two interior panoramas just after I hung the photos. Please excuse the quick edit, color difference.

Interview and write up about Vacancy

The Night Before New Years Eve

2011-01-02T23:38:00.001-08:00

Last Sunday we had a nice dusting of snow. During the height of the "storm" a friend and I were making our way up Mt. Tom. It was an adventure quite honestly, not as dangerous as one would think. There was a little bit of wind, nothing to major. When we were on the mountain, the wind was sweeping the tops of the trees. The snow was falling, but not as think as it was on the main roads. We were guarded by the thick of the trees. We did not make the summit like anticipated. It was this night that inspired me to again attempt the summit of Mt. Tom of 141. However, on Thursday night the attempt was cut short by nature. In a very close proximity to where we were hiking we were able to hear the playful yelps of a pack of coyotes. The sounds of the dogs cheerfully expressing their presence was enough of warrant to vacate the mountain. So, instead we made our way back to the studio, but we were side tracked by the blue lights that dotted the Canal Walk. It was getting more cold, the air was very thick with the stench of burning plastic. I was very skeptical where that was coming from. We meandered around looking around for the images that would best convey the moment. Off in the distance we heard a few soft pops and the rumble of cars making a haste get-a-way. Just another night in Holyoke. Here are a few photos from some time spent in the cold.

Holyoke's First Snow

2010-12-28T20:39:00.001-08:00

Sunday night into Monday morning we had some snow fall. It began early in the afternoon on Sunday and called it quits very early Monday morning. I spent a good deal of time outside as I was working on an unrelated photo essay. Here are a few images from Sunday and Monday.

Frozen Landscape and more.

2010-12-23T15:51:00.001-08:00

On my way back to Holyoke from Northampton today, I spotted a really interesting piece of the landscape. On RT5 just before entering Holyoke, there is a section of the Oxbow Marina that usually ends up spilling off into the surrounding terrain. In the fall we had some heavy rain that caused a little bit of over flow in this piece of the land. This over flow started freezing before it could become saturated into the ground. What happened as a result of that ended up causing a large deposit and build up of ice. A few warm days and the ice melting caused the build up to drop in height. I have a few images I made of this piece of the landscape. I just had to pull over and pull my camera out for what I was seeing.

Earlier this week there was a terrible accident at the corner of Race and Dwight. One car came to a rest agains the building that is on the corner of the intersection. Speeding is through this intersection is a real issue.

SLOW DOWN!

Holyoke High School Football: An Emotional Vicotry

2010-11-28T22:19:00.000-08:00

An emotional victory. It is the title of the game, the meaning behind the win, the phrase that best describes their, near seconds to the end of the game victory. With two seconds on the clock, HHS brought the game to over time. This put them in the position to take back their field. Their home. Minutes remained in the over time. Minutes of intensity. High emotions. The crowd, a filled stadium, screaming, cheering, coaches clenching their hands in an intense display eagerness for their team, students, parents, friends, family, spectators; all, produced a sense of pride that coursed through everyone's fiber and took the cold right out of them. The Knight's took their field, that sense of pride that was pushing them down the field, and took the game and made it theirs. They owned the field for that moment and now own an overwhelming sense of self pride for their season. As coach Bob Lastowski stated very well walking off the field, drenched in pride and a coolers worth of water and ice, "they will be talking about this game for years to come".

To understand this statement, we must understand the historical pretenses that these two teams have. Holyoke and Chicopee are two teams stapled in a rivalry that creates these emotional wins. I am unsure of how far back this history goes. But, I will say that this rivalry has been something I have seen and heard about for most of my life. From family that has played for Chicopee, to my integration into Holyoke's history, I have seen both sides of this shared pride. I watch the game. Feel the game. Experience the game. See the emotion of the players and fans through the lens. I have captured the moments that made this game a piece of history.

I got to the field early. I was there to capture not only the game, but to make portraits of the players and their family's as they walked onto the field in their tradition of seniors giving flowers to the parents of the players. Today wasn't just about giving their parents a flower, it was about giving their all and more. It was very cold morning. It was only about 30 degrees outside when I got on the field and met with our photographer, Bob Gordon of True Resolution. I had a feeling today was going to be one of those days. The kind of day that was worth embarking the cold for. By the end of the game, this thought was a reality. As we were setting up our cameras and discussing what was going on for the day. Another photographer appeared and our conversation turned towards the game and what each other was on the field for. We had a common interest. Capture this game. The images below show the game, the emotion, and the strength of the team to pull forward and take their field and pride to state.

Friday Photo Class: Journalism Class Makes Visit

2010-11-07T01:16:00.001-07:00

This past Friday, Assistant Professor Frank Ward and his Photo Journalism class abandoned the educational institution, freeing themselves from Holyoke Community College campus to visit our studio. A field trip like this has extreme benefits for the perceptive student, that cares, and find inspiration real world artists and professionals. Back in the day, (merely 3 years ago) Frank was one of the founding professors that helped shaped my education in terms of photography and what I went on to accomplish. Frank is assistant to Robert Aller, an equally professional photographer that has shaped and molded the lives of many talented photographers, including myself, and many of my friends. Together with Chris Lizon, a (photo professor) they have been constructing and building a photography program that educates and inspires students to lead successful lives as artists, photographers or educators of photography. On Friday, Frank brought his class down to see what two Alumni have gone on to strive for and build. Frank along with Bob Aller is a major supporter of students and alum that go on to show case what they have learned in their classrooms as well as aim to successed. When Frank emailed me to ask if he could come down, he expressed a project they are working on, photographing artists in their spaces. The spaces they work in, have transformed into studios, and focus on how they are shifting and changing Holyoke through art and innovation. I was honored to let Frank and his class come down for a visit.

After a brief introduction, we did a small demonstration of a light set up that we use for formal portraits. A set up we have mainly used for Senior Portraits, but will use for any typical head shot that is requested. Pictured here, Frank posed so his class could see what our light set up looked like in terms of a photograph and not just the physical locations and placements of the lights around the backdrop and studio.

I am pretty sure that Frank will not be taking a runway for a fashion show in Paris anytime soon. But the role his posed played was a very good example of how a light placement can affect the client that wears glasses. As you can see, he has a pair of glasses on. What you do not see is any glare in those glasses. As he pointed out to the class, the light was focused on a specific placement within is body. What he was unaware of, is that the light was placed consciously knowing that the glasses would create a cast, glare, and perhaps a green glare that can ruin an entire portrait. In relation to the body, the position of the light is very important. A lesson the students were given by his pose and this example.

After a few more minutes of discussion and talk about lights, Tim (studio co-owner), was kind enough to discuss one of his projects. A nude figure study that references the work of Edward Weston. The photo students looked on eagerly as Tim discussed his use of models and posing and how his end result is a book. From there, the students took a brief tour of the studio space and another part of the building.

Frank has traveled the world. He has seen a many photographs and created some amazing images. His most impressive project that has always stunned me was when he trekked across Tibet with an 8x10 view camera. I would define Frank as a social-documentary/photo journalist, with a body of work that examines the cultures in which he has traveled to. A modern day Henri Carte Bresson trapped in a digital era, Frank has embraced digital photography in a welcoming manner. Once asked by Frank, which do you think is better, film or digital? My automatic response was film, followed in defense with, "film has a tangible quality that digital does not. You shoot and process film. At all times the film is physical being, holding the photograph once exposed. Digital is only tangible once the image has become a print. Until then it is not visible, (unless seen through the back of a camera), it is not a tangible photograph that can be seen like a piece of film, before a photograph is printed onto a piece of paper." With the technology now, film is made to feel obsolete. Digital photography has the speed and convenience to fulfill the demand of viewing instantly.

By now, you must be wondering, what the hell does this have to do with Holyoke? Well, if it hadn't been for Holyoke Community College, and the professional educators that command the attention of their students and nurture their talents, I would not have embarked on this path of photography. In more ways then one Holyoke is the birthplace of my career as a photographer, not just my subject matter, and backdrop for a great many of photo shoots. Not only does HCC have a great photography program, but that program is part of a larger Art program that is welcoming, nurturing, and supportive of their students. Naturally of course, one can not be successful without drive and ambition. Maybe one of these days, when HCC changes their billboard add, (as seen on 91 South) I, or Tim, or the both of us will be on it. Holyoke is our heritage and our roots. HCC was the foundation for career and passion.

Frank Ward on JPG
Frank Ward Tibet 8x10 Portrait
Social Documentary Site

I will be doing a follow up article with images from Frank, a portrait of us in the studio, and some of his students work.

Autumn Views II

Holyoke Public Library

Copy Right Jeffrey Byrnes

This past week will most likely be the last time this year we see such beautiful weather. Granted, when I made these images it was pretty cold out, the color of light for the time of day, mixed with the grey, fluffy, semi-white, threatening clouds is pretty much done for the year as well. From now until next spring, we will see grey days blanketed with snow, rain, or cold days with blue skies. Those bone chilling days that bite as harsh as the wind that blows cold in your face. But, before we know it we will be seeing green leaves budding on the trees and the spring light will make Holyoke smile again, as spring arrives.

Autum Views

2010-10-31T19:36:00.001-07:00

When the light passes through the thick, heavy, sometimes ominous and threatening clouds, Holyoke becomes some what enchanted with a beauty and charisma that commands attention. I made these three images today just after we finished a senior portrait shoot at the studio. These are the views we are presented with on a daily basis. The Northeast corner of the US typically has such great quality of light in this magnitude during the month of October. Today we enter November as this evening comes to a close. It will be come much colder and more grey will be seen in our day. Views like this are going to hibernate until next year. It was a nice day, a nice Halloween, and a surprise of wet, snow-like precipitation. Hope everyone had a safe and Happy Halloween.

High Performance Computing Center: Sign Here

2010-10-26T20:08:00.001-07:00

It seems as if the good people on the internet have a petition going around for the High Performance Computing Center that is slotting to help grow Holyoke. The petition can be seen here: HPCC Petition

This is just one of the interesting projects that is taking place in Holyoke right now. There are quite a few other ones that are spread through the town. From the Victory Theater rehab, to the Holyoke Food and Fitness Policy Council and all the great work Nuestras Raices is doing, Holyoke is more a live now than it has been in years.

A Holyoke Wedding

2010-10-21T21:48:00.001-07:00

The first weekend of October was celebrated by two weddings, in which I and my business partner Tim Lastowski had the honor to photograph. Friday night it rained and that put a damper on the photography. But we made due.

Saturday the weather was amazing, as well as the intensity of ceremony and wedding in its entirety. Two Holyoke Fire Fighters were wed at the church on the corner of Cabot and Chestnut st. Following the ceremony, as the bride and groom made their way to the front of the church, Holyoke Fire Fighters pulled the sounds of the truck and applauded in celebration for two of their own becoming husband and wife. Emotions were high as the Department welcomed them in a display of camaraderie, support, joy, and a show of brotherhood and family.

It was a beautiful ceremony and a glorious day for a wedding. We are very pleased to have been able to share in the joyful celebration. Congratulations to both couples!

Friday Night Lights: Knights Take Victory of Northampton

2010-10-08T21:51:00.001-07:00

I did not go to Holyoke High School, but that doesn't stop me from feeling a sense of pride when they slaughter their opposing team. In a great home game, Holyoke took the win 34-20 over Northampton. Here are some photos from the sidelines.

Nuestras Raices Fall Harvest and more

2010-10-01T00:09:00.001-07:00

Last weekend I was in attendance for two fall harvest events in Holyoke. The First Lutheran Church on Northampton St and then the very very largely attended Nuestras Raices Harvest Fest. My experience with the First Lutheran church was very different from the cultural and ethnical celebrations at the farm. This made for a contrasting display of images in a celebratory fashion. When I was present at First Lutheran, the tone that was set was centered around family and the invitation and welcoming of people outside the community of the church. It was a great environment that was fun for kids and their parents. Below are a few sample images I made for the church.

The contrasting theme that was set at the Nuestras Raices farm exhibited a very culturally diverse look at a strong community based network. It was a very impressive turnout, 1490 people had passed through as I was leaving, just before 4pm. I was there for a multitude of reasons. The most major being is my integration into the HFFPC community. In addition to this community integration, I was there to document the fall celebration and visually interpret the sense of community.

Canal Crawl: Night shots

2010-09-23T21:30:00.001-07:00

I am taking a creative break from reading the Notes On Color by Paul Gauguin to post a few photos from last nights crawl through the labyrinth known as Holyoke's Canal System. It was an eery and ominous feeling to be standing in the canal at a later hour. The moon kept peering through the slow moving clouds. The stench of rotten mussels floated over the murky mud. Every thick step conjured up the smell leaving behind a foot print to distinguish are tracks. To an observant viewer, one standing in daylight, they would see a pattern of observation. A study of landscape and structure. It was other worldly. Characteristics reminiscent of another place in time, another place of origin. Standing there, we were poised in the creation and formation of a piece of history. The water that channeled through this network of vast industrialism fueled an economic boom in its hay day. Now, now it is a decorative piece left as a reminder of what our country was build on. The industrialization of America.

What remains in these canals are objects of disembodiment. The remains of a culture and society are being washed over with the contemporary waters of a new breath of life for the city to inhale. Remains such as a bike, so metaphorical in the sense that a bike is a mode of transportation, as a canal is a mode of transportation and delivery. Rusted away are the spokes of a rim used to move the wheels of transportation. Similar in a way, to the frozen in place turbines used to flow water through the buildings to propel forward a mode of production. The forgotten objects, the objects of memory and emotion, are now tangible to new landscape. Underneath the flowing water is history. History of industrialism, history of culture and society, history of memory and emotion. A history of photography embodied and contextualized in an aesthetic approach to capturing a glimpse of a constructed landscaped. With each passing year, our objects of undesirability are fossilized with the past, awaiting a society to rediscover our industrialization and mode of discourse.

Empty Canal plus more

2010-09-21T20:54:00.001-07:00

Over the weekend the canals were drained. Some construction has been taking place as they sit dormant of water. I took a few minutes out of my Saturday schedule to explore the canal outside the studio. I found some interesting things, as seen below.

You never really see fish laying in the canal, but mussels and these little characters. I found a hermit crab, which I didnt know lived in the canals. It seems there is a thriving eco-system that lies underneath the flowing water.

X Marks the spot...

This little questionable creature has been dubbed, Roger the Canal Creature. It had pre-historic qualities about it and made for an interesting subject to photograph.

The two most common objects I see in the canals when they are drained are drivers licenses and shopping carts. However, in front of the playground there are a number of bikes. It begs to question, are the bikes evidence of theft? And, if so, is it related to kids stealing them to ride to the park? I have never seen so many bikes in one spot. And to put any stereotypical debate a side, there were no cars, no bodies, not bones, corpses, just rusted out bikes and shopping cars.

Building shots: Inside near our shooting space.

Installation by Dean Nimmer

From August till now our studio has been very busy. We have increased our work load by a substantial amount. We have been shooting senior portraits and have been enjoying it very much. This work load includes the Exhibitions at Open Square.

Tonight I did a set of portraits of a car and its owner.

Yoga In Unusual Spaces

2010-08-28T22:38:00.001-07:00

On Friday September 17, 2010 Yoga In Unusual Spaces will be opening at Open Square in Holyoke, MA. 4 Open Square Holyoke, MA 01040

Please join us for the first of many openings on this project. Details below.

Photographer Jeffrey Byrnes, working in collaboration with Aaron Vega of Vega Yoga, has produced a photographic body of work that celebrates Yoga In Unusual Spaces. Aaron and Jeffrey, along with other yoga students, yogis, and contributing photographers Greg Saulmon and Tim Lastowski, have used Holyoke as a backdrop and setting to place an aesthetic emphasis of yoga mixed with urban settings. The image of a yoga pose fused with an urban setting creates a fine balance of the beauty and human form infusing strength mixed with an appealing yet reminiscent quality of Holyoke's historical and once thriving strength as an economical leader in time period. Please join us for our first opening reception of Yoga In Unusual Spaces.

If you are on Facebook, here is the invite, to which you can join. Yoga In Unusual Spaces Facebook Invite

The Long Exposure Landscape

2010-08-15T19:32:00.001-07:00

Rain fell lightly on a moody Sunday. Views of Holyoke.

COPY RIGHT JEFFREY BYRNES & LENSHARE.COM

July In Photos: Something New

2010-08-05T02:18:00.001-07:00

Here are a few photographs that I made during the month of July. The first few are of the former 510 High st. Very late in July I was invited down to take a tour of the building. However, that didnt go according to plan. I was very disappointed, knowing the images I would have made, regardless of what the conditions were like. It took a few days to come down and a few days to clean up. But the city is one less beautiful building. Peter from Rambling Van Dog was one of the lucky ones to make it inside for the 2 minutes allowed to see the building. He always has some good photos on his site. Including the last fire that took place a few nights ago.

Back to the swing of things...

2010-08-04T18:47:00.001-07:00

It has been a little while since I have posted anything new on here. There is good reason for that. Our studio has been pumping out a lot of portraits the past two months. We have been very busy making smiles and capturing them. Here is a sample of what we have been shooting.

An Inward Look: One final look at a former industrial business.

2010-07-22T23:37:00.001-07:00

This summer our studio has been quite busy. We been working on some interesting projects and making some great images while working with some outstanding people. Posting here on Holyoke in photos has been much slower than I had intended for this summer. You can see some of our newest portraits here on Lenshare.com New Portraits Even More Portraits

It is not very often you get a chance to see industrialism as it is being stripped of its roots. Holyoke’s mills have served more than just the purpose of paper production. Some businesses came into the former mills, made their mark, and are now disappearing as the new era of Arts and Innovation are taking over the city. Below are a set of photographs I have made to show for this disappearance and the re-use of the space. My images are very subjective and project a timeless and antique quality while exhibiting an aesthetic that depicts the vanishing presence of human production within this space.

All Images COPY RIGHT Jeffrey Byrnes and Lenshare.com

Founder’s Day Car Show

2010-06-14T01:53:00.001-07:00

I have not written on here in a few weeks. There is good reasons why. The most notable is because of the computer melt down I had two weeks ago. After playing recoup and trying to gain a weeks worth of work back I finally have a chance to write on here. The second most notable issue is the transition from one location to another for a studio. We have a summer location located on Dwight st. Located across from Heritage State Park. When I say we, I am of course referring to True Resolution. So having explained the reasons for the absence, I can now move on to the most recent images made in Holyoke. Please note, there are watermarks on these photographs. If you wish to have a copy of any image you see in this article, please email me at info@true-resolution.com attn: Jeff

The Founder’s Day Car show brings enthusiasts from as far as Boston, as one Car Club’s decals depicted. I made it out for the show last year, which was similar to this year. However, the key difference being some of the cars last year held a different style in terms of class and make and model that were being shown. This year there seemed to be a few lesser cars than last year. Loud music filled the streets along with the aroma of Spanish food being grilled up by a vendor on the corner of Dwight and High. City Hall was a stage for a dj that played a diverse collection of music ranging from contemporary Hip Hop to different variations of Spanish music. There was a real sense of heritage and pride in the atmosphere, as everyone seemed to be celebrating not just their cars, but their culture as well. There were quite a lot of opportunities to make photographs. From simple shots to more complex images like my panoramas below, it was a great afternoon in terms of photographs.

The first 15 photographs are all panorama spreads to show the depth and dynamic view of the car show. The preceding photographs show specific things within the exhibit.

Mt Tom: A hike at night…

2010-05-28T22:35:00.001-07:00

Last night after we saw how the moon was making its appearance. Big, orange, and bright, we had to find a high altitude place to photograph it from. Mt. Tom was a seemingly good choice. The next question, where to go to get to the highest point. We parked and walked up the rd that leads from the Mt. Tom Reservation area off of RT 5. It was a fun walk. It took about 45 minutes till we made it to the tower. Here are the photos from up there.

This is the town of Easthampton, Ma being lit up by the city lights and the cars passing through. This was a very long exposure, roughly 8 minutes in duration.

The next two photographs are about 2.5 minutes long in terms of exposures. That is 2.5 minutes of standing still while the camera was recording the image.

30 Second exposure with a flash light projecting light.