Photographing Maryland's Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay
While the beauty of the water draws most to the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay, for photographer Robert Sullivan, it’s the often-forgotten landscapes, cemeteries, and abandoned homes that catch his eye.
What’s going through your mind when you’re on a shoot?
I ask myself “why?” What is it about this specific image or scene do I want to convey. I’ve been taking pictures long enough that this question is automatic, but it’s still the most important one to ask. Mostly, it helps me focus. I want viewers to feel what I feel. To do that, I’m always looking for something unique to make the picture pop. Otherwise, it can look like what everyone else is doing.
How did you get started?
Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve had a love of photography and film. I studied both while in college, and, of course, made a living doing something completely different upon graduation. I never stopped taking pictures. At some point I realized I needed to develop my skills further. I’ve taken classes and workshops, watched countless videos, and still study and look for ways to improve. “Working to improve” keeps me young.
How would you describe your work to others?
I want my photographs to tell a story. I look for the unique angle, lighting, or motion that instantly creates a story in someone’s mind. I put them in the scene to experience what I’m seeing. Even if just for a few seconds. Photography is just a license to explore, which is all I really want to do.
What about Hoopers Island captures your attention?
Although it’s not all that I do, one of my passions is landscape photography. Nothing beats Hoopers Island. As soon as you cross the bridge onto the first island you realize you’re somewhere special. I was crossing the second bridge one stormy evening when the moon was peeking through the clouds. I stopped my car in the middle of the road and started taking pictures. I love the marinas, the cemeteries, the winding road, those bridges, the history.
How do you capture the ‘unusual’ in your work?
I’m always looking for details that might make a picture special. It’s a process of constantly looking, sometimes waiting for the elements of a scene to come together, and simplifying so that the viewer is directed to the most important elements of the picture. It helps to be endlessly curious and eager to do what hasn’t been done before. Often, I will research a place and talk to people beforehand, so I understand the life that goes on behind the obvious.
What’s planned for early 2023?
I’m always exploring old properties to shape my workshops. On February 22, I will lead a sunrise workshop in conjunction with Dorchester Center for the Arts at Blackwater Wildlife Refuge to catch the wildlife when they are most active and the sun constantly shifting. On May 20, in conjunction with the Maryland Photography Alliance, I will lead a nighttime workshop on Hoopers Island to explore working with low lighting and to discuss photographing the Milky Way.
How do folks register for your workshops or view your work?
Register at workingimagephotography.com or reach me via email. Find me on Facebook under my name and on Instagram @working_image.
Interview by Gwen Mayes
About the interviewer: Gwen Mayes is a writer, life coach, workshop host, and docent for the Annapolis Maritime Museum and Park. Find more about her work at anchortoself.com.
