Essex County Jail
My photographs often begin with the premise that there is a story to be told and that light and shadow are its’ messengers. Essex County Jail, now completely abandoned, is an arena of light and deep shadow in which the transformative effects of time are clearly visible. I chose to photograph the space with slow black and white film, available light and a medium format camera, extracting information with long exposures in order to mirror the slow changes imbedded on the crumbling cell walls. In the darkroom I further intensify the experience by manipulating time and light until the desired result matches the vision that I carried within. The human figure, usually an integral part of my work, is merely a ghostly presence in the Essex County images as I pursue a more abstract approach to depict the pathos of this constructed environment.