I met Bob after stumbling onto his fantastic HDR work of the amazing mills in the Lowell/Lawrence area of Massachusetts.  His work caught my eye for several reasons.  First, it was clear that Bob had a strong grasp of HDR processing.  It was very much in line with my own style and I really gravitated to that.  Second, his subject matter was right up my alley: industrial, abandoned, and weathered locales filled his portfolio.  And finally, and most important, he has a fantastic eye.  Bob can compose a shot beautifully and that is such a fantastic gift.

When I saw that Bob was a local, I wrote to him and we struck a friendship via email.  After some time, we finally got together and shot the Stone Mill in Lawrence, MA.  The rest, as they say, is history.  We’ve shot many times since then, threw back a few pints in between, and have had some great conversations.

Bob has quickly become a close friend and confindant – a trusted sounding board for all of my wacky ideas and thoughts.  And I hope that I can provide him with the same luxury.  I’m glad to know Bob and I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us.

You can follow Bob on Twitter, Facebook, and his Blog

Full Circle – Robert Lussier

About 10 years ago photography found me again … But before I get to that, let me tell you a little bit about my past.

I grew up and attended college in Lowell, Massachusetts, a city that was built on the power of the Merrimack River. Lowell was one of the cities on the Merrimack that formed the cradle of the Industrial Revolution in America.

From the early 1800s to the 1950s, the textile mills of these cities thrived. The fabrics they produced pretty much clothed the entire country.

I vividly remember the photographs I created back in college.  I remember seeking out compositions in the loading docks of the mills. I can still see the textures of the brick walls, granite sills and big wooden doors of the mills in my black and white prints.

I remember processing the film, loading the negative in the enlarger, dodging and burning — doing whatever I could to reproduce what I saw through the viewfinder onto that 8″x10″ sheet of photo-sensitive paper.

Back then I was only thinking about learning the art of photography. The mills served as a convenient and cooperative subject for studies in symmetry, texture and depth of field. I was oblivious to the role the mills played in our national and regional history.

Over the years, Lowell’s mills were renovated into office space and condos — modern interiors wrapped in 19th century shells. Over time I began to realize that I missed an incredible creative opportunity when I was younger. I also started to recognize loss of history that went with the renovations.

I kicked myself for not trying to photograph the interior of the mills before they were gutted and renovated.

I did not pursue photography as a career out of college. but it did remain on the fringe of my professional and creative worlds for more years than I care to admit. During that time my camera collected more dust than clicks.

So … About 10 years ago photography found me again.  My old Nikon 6006 nudged me. It insisted that I evolve from taking simple family snapshots to composing photographs. I responded. I become a Photographer again.

Landscapes and cityscapes became my focus initially, and still remain a passion for me. I eventually started to reflection the missed opportunities in the Lowell Mills and took a look at the history around me.

I live, with my family, outside of Lawrence, another mill city with an almost identical history of Industrial Revolution prosperity and subsequent decline. However, unlike Lowell, most of the mills in Lawrence today retain their 19th century atmosphere, or at least some aspects of it.

Over the past couple of years I have been fortunate to gain access to the interiors of several of these historic treasures.

So here I am, 30 years later, photographing the mills again. The process has changed. My vision is realized through digital and HDR rather than film and darkroom techniques.  My intent, however,  is the same as it was then: to best reproduce what I saw through the viewfinder.  This time I do so with a keener appreciation for the history.

I’m thrilled that my photographic journey has come full circle and I look forward to the next go around.

I want to thank my friend Brian for inviting me to contribute to Alt Perspectives. As a fan of Brian’s site and this series, I know I am in good company and am humbled by the opportunity.