Environmental Photography

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As I mentioned in a prior post, a lot of the time lobster fishing runs in the family. This is shown clearly as Lindsay and her mother, who had grown up on and around boats,stand crew together. They go out most days of the week working incredibly hard and fluently. Two amazing women carrying on a (generally male dominant) career. Preserving the wildlife, sea life, and oceans is important - now more than ever - but keeping this culture, tradition and this way of life alive is also something to think about and care about. Thousands millions of people eat lobster every year yet few think about where it comes from and what it takes to get to them. 

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The days we went out on the water I had incredible luck, it was beautiful and warm! But that’s not to say that fishermen don’t go out in all types of weather. Rain, shine, sleet or snow a lot of lobstermen brave the weather and haul or set anyway. This lifestyle that has been passed down to them, that they have grown up knowing, stops for nothing. I admire the perseverance of the men and women who do this and it can often be shocking to see what they go through. I know pictures of us braving the elements would have had more impact, however, I am a little glad we ended up with what we did! 

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this post is to highlight some of the other fishermen who work extremely hard. I have been really focusing on Lindsay and how strong and hard working she is but I wanted to give that reminder that the ocean isn’t just used by one person or creature. So many amazing fishermen/women out there and so many others who utilize this recourse as well. 

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Learning has been a huge portion of this process for me, lick understanding how to identify each lobster, look for notches in their tail, measure, watch out for the rope and buoys, and remembering to hold the bait totes when the boat hits waves! Although I’ve never done this before and have a lot to learn, Lindsay has been incredible at teaching, helping, giving me a run down on what she’s doing or leaving room for questions. Her laid back attitude and willingness to teach is just one of the amazing things about her and why I am so glad I’ve gotten to highlight her for this project. 

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Such an amazing day surrounded by the beauty of where I live. Hardworking people make you want to better yourself and the two amazing women I worked with did just that. Understanding more about this industry that I have grown up around really opened my eyes as I hope it will open others. These photos only show the things that caught my eye in the moment, but the importance of keeping all sea creatures and our oceans alive is that same. 

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Along with being incredibly interesting and new, this first real experience was so fun! Although I got a sunburn and didn’t smell great afterwards I am excited to go again and am really happy with how the photographs came out. I feel like this series of pictures will truly show the hardworking nature of this career and the people who work in it. 

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why lobstering?

In my community lobstering is a huge portion of the jobs and the residents depend on it. I wanted to highlight lobstermen as apposed to other fishermen because it is such an important economy here and one of the biggest sources of income. My goal is to show how incredibly hard working the people who do this are and to remind everyone that keeping our oceans clean, as well as our lands, is important. 

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my contact

Living on an island there is a clear abundance of fishermen (and women) everywhere. I reached out to a few friends from high school as well as some family members however, fishermen are notoriously stubborn! I finally heard back from my cousin who gave me her boss.captains contact information. Lindsay, captain of F/V (fishing vessel) Lanaia Jade agreed to let me come on board, photograph, and help out for the day! 

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first meeting

Going for the first time working with Lindsay I am incredibly nervous, anxious and a little worried I am going to lose my camera in the ocean. We are meeting a little later in the day since she has a child going to summer camp. I expect to get some good shots since its a beautiful sunny day, hoping it is cooler on the water because it is incredibly hot out. 

Meeting Lindsay was really fun and she is much more laid back than other fishermen I have encountered. It helped that she works with my cousin because I had a familiar face on board. I didn’t lose my camera thank god and I got some pictures I am really happy with. Hopefully going to go out again with her soon.