The art of the field trip.

Field trip with my students, Holyoke, MA, 2010

I am amazed at some of the crazy places where I have brought my students. This is Quantum Properties along the 3rd Level canal. Quantum had us all sign legal waivers before they would let us wander around.

Thea modeling for my class in the old factory next to the building above, 2010.  This interior picture was made about a week after the above field trip. One of my students returned alone the following week to photograph more. National Geographics (TV) was there making a documentary and they recruited him on the spot to take pictures for them.

For almost a decade I have brought students to this large “shoe tree” in Holyoke. Last winter there was so much snow from plowing the adjacent parking lot that a student and I crawled up the icy snow pile to get an elevated view of the tree.

As I was photographing I heard a yelp. My student slipped, flew off the snow mound and landed, head first, 15 feet below me. No one was injured in the making of this picture.

The Wherehouse, along the 1st level canal, is another favorite Holyoke destination. This is an area with odd and interesting stuff displayed everywhere. A student became fascinated with an old fire alarm box and pulled the lever to see if it worked. It did. All we could do was wait while the fire trucks arrived.

Fire alarm box, corner of Dwight and Main streets, 2014.  This box is a couple of blocks away from the alarm my student set-off. These things look non-functional, don’t be fooled.

I photographed this dilapidated building in 2008. That is my student walking across the nail and needle scattered floor in her sneakers. Others were wearing sandals.

At times I feel the need to return to the relatively safe environment of the studio.

 I like to engage with all the studio has to offer. This picture from 2008 incorporates photograms, mannikins, a student and a projected slide.

This session with a hired model in 2013 was going really well, then one of my students undressed and joined in the activities. This usually doesn’t happen.  All I could do was run and get her to sign a model release.