Access
The usual reaction I get when I tell people I work for the National Park Service is "wow, you must get great access to parks". The assumption is that I get special access to parks when I’m out shooting photos, but this is not the case. In actuality, I have no better access than any other photographer looking to capture Bay scenes.
In fact, like others, I’m left to negotiate the disappointingly limited public access found around the Chesapeake Bay. More specifically, public access on the western shore of the Chesapeake (where I live) is very limited for those who don’t own either a boat (in my case I own a kayak) or own waterfront property. In my neighborhood, where I literally live less than a mile in every direction from water, almost every single access point has a no tresspassing sign or even locked gates "protecting" access points in some cases. Anne Arundel County, home to Annapolis and parts of Balitmore, has an incredible 534 miles of shoreline - but only two public boat ramps to serve the public. These limitations don’t only impact photographers like myself, but anyone else wishing to experience the Chesapeake.
Fortunately, increasing public access is an issue that is a core part of the Bay restoration movement - and one that some of my work colleagues are focusing on. While I don’t personally advocate for government intruding on land owner rights, I do hope that some waterfront property owners will feel compelled to donate (or sell) their property so that more public access points can be created. And that solutions can be found to build new access areas closer to people’s homes, rather than having to jump into a car and drive to a park.
All is not lost however. There are some fantastic opportunities found throughout the Bay region to access and experience the splendor of the Chesapeake - places like Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center. Last time I visited Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge (near Rock Hall, Md) I saw over 25 bald eagles, while paddling around the island.
Get out and explore!
The Passing of a Bay Icon
It was with great sadness that I learned this week of the passing of perhaps the Chesapeake’s finest photographer, Marion Warren. With over seven decades of photography (his first camera being purchased in late 1930’s), his portfolio consists of well over 100,000 photos from a variety of genres. However, his remarkable body of work will be best remembered for the iconic images he captured of the Chesapeake Bay, its people and traditions.
As I mentioned in an earlier post titled ‘Days of Bay Gone By’, I wrote about how Marion’s work so tangibly captured a period in the Bay’s history that its nearly impossible to study a Warren print and not be transported back in time. His work will continue to captivate people for many decades to come, especially as the time period that he so eloquently captured, fades away. We’re very fortunate in the Chesapeake region to have had someone of his talent and vision to document the working Bay.
Unfortunately, I never had a chance to sit down with Marion and talk photography - and more importantly - thank him for proving inspiration for my work as well as the work of countless other photographers in the Bay region. And while it makes me sad to learn of his passing, it also warms my heart that his legacy will continue to inspire photographers like myself for many decades to come. I’m sure he had to know this and it must have given him a great sense of pride. May he rest in peace.
Days of Bay Gone By
I would be remiss in launching a photography venture with a focus on the Chesapeake Bay without mentioning the incredible photographers who have provided inspiration for my work - Marion Warren and A. Aubrey Bodine. While I typically shoot color photographs (and these two are known for black and white photos), it’s their subject matter that continues to captivate me to this day.
Through their photos, both captured a period in the Chesapeake’s history that is all but gone - one with working skipjacks bulging with oysters, old crab houses with barrels of hot steaming crabs and deadrise workboats lined up in ego alley in Annapolis (yes, unbelievably there were actually workboats in Annapolis - and not that long ago).
Sure, some of those things do still exist, mostly in the far corners of the Bay in places like Shady Side and Crisfield. However, each of these photographers truly capture the flavor of the working Chesapeake through their photos. As you browse through their collections, you can almost smell the aroma of steaming crabs or hear the watermen singing as they cull oysters. The photos literally transport you back in time.
Marion Warren, probably the best known of the two, has an extensive body of work consisting of over 100,000 black and white negatives and prints. His work is featured in many publications including Bringing Back the Bay, which focuses on the Chesapeake Bay and its people. If you live in or have visited Annapolis, you’ve almost certainly seen a Warren photo hanging in a restaurant or store. To view his photos, visit his website.
A. Aubrey Bodine (1906-1970), born and raised in Baltimore, is not only considered one of the most important photographers in Maryland, but in the entire region. His photographs range from landmarks in the region such as the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to crabbers to log canoes off of St. Michaels. For a taste of his work, visit the site run by his daughter Jennifer or a number of museums, including the Mariners Museum in Newport News, Va.
