Steven Howell - Photographing Boston: Where to Find Perfect Shots and How to Take Them

Where to Find Perfect Shots and How to Take Them

InterContinental Hotel

T HE C OUNTRYMAN P RESS

W OODSTOCK , V ERMONT

Copyright 2011 by Steven Howell

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages.

Maps by Paul Woodward, The Countryman Press
Photographs on pages 38, 69 and 91 Kim Grant

Photographing Boston
978-0-88150-916-8

Published by The Countryman Press,
P.O. Box 748, Woodstock, VT 05091

Distributed by W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.,
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110

Very special thanks go to:

Char and Dar: Charlene Earle and Darcy Gilbomy Salem hostesses with the mostesses. You are my two favorite beans in all of Boston!

Rick Hayes and Sarah Whitemy extraordinary Saint Paddys Day Boston road trip pals.

Neal Citro, Lvi Brub, and Roland Lalibertwho always provide me with an encouraging word.

My friends and colleagues at The Countryman Press, including Lisa Sacks, Kermit Hummel, and Iris Bass for her copyediting prowess.

Gil Dukenthe biggest Boston Red Sox fan I know!

Rosanne Mercer for her help with Skywalk Observatory and Elisa Vaudo for the inside scoop on the BDC.

The fine folks of the City of Boston.

A very special thanks to Kim Grantgreat photos!

And to Derek IsaacI look forward to our next photo shoot together.

Although trained as a writer first, photography has personally allowed me to explore the visual, artistic side of my brain. In the recent past, I have been blessed to photograph and write about Montreal, Quebec City, New York City, and now Bostonand what a fun photo op Boston is.

I am a native Long Islander who now lives upstate New York, but Boston has always held a special place in my heart. I first fell in love with the city on a high school field trip in the early 1980sI even have some vintage photos of Boston Common Swan Boats and a Salem side trip to prove it. I returned to Boston dozens of times while working for a regional New England airline during the 1990s. And I travel frequently to the Boston metropolitan areaI have friends who live in Salem. I devoted a few weeks to working on this book in the beautiful city of Boston.

I tried to organize this book as conveniently and logically as possible, taking the photo ops one neighborhood at a time. Most of the iconic historical Boston sightseeing stops are mentioned, including Freedom Trail highlights, Emerald Necklace outdoor gems, and city neighborhoods and hubs, such as Charlestown, the North End, Beacon Hill, the Back Bay, the Fens, and South Boston. A few off-the-beaten-path road-trip subjects are mentioned as well.

This is not an all-inclusive book; rather, about 100 of Bostons best photo subjects that inspire me the most. Its impossible to mention all the photographic opportunities that Boston has to offer. You will no doubt discover a few of your own favorites along the way. To the tourist: Visit a part of town or neighborhood that wasnt on your original travel itinerary. To the local: Venture to a nearby part of town that you havent visited in a while.

Christian Science Plaza

To both the visitor and the resident: Be prepared to be photographically inspired by the beautiful city of Boston.

This book is geared toward photographers of all levels. Whether youre a point-and-shoot beginner, an avid amateur with your first digital SLR, or a serious pro who aims to add your own unique flair and perspective to a subject thats been photographed many times beforeIve got some great suggestions for you all.

Ive also listed some basic photo techniques. To the seasoned pro: While you may not learn anything new as far as technique is concerned, I try to include information such as lighting, best times of day to shoot, admission fees, commercial permit requirements, any applicable photo restrictions, and a bit of history about each subject. Each listing also includes addresses, Web sites, and telephone numbers.

This book is presented geographically by neighborhood. Most of the suggestions can be shot year-round. In fact, youll find that as lighting and environment (e.g., haze, leaves, and snow) change with the season, so will your photographs. If youve the time or are a local, I suggest visiting these listings with each new season.

Spring is a great time to shoot. The temperature is often just right and I specifically enjoy photographing urban architecture when leaf buds are about to bloom on the local treesyou simply get to see more of a particular building and the trees dont look so bare. Summer offers lots to do and places to see, but sometimes washed-out and hazy skies. That said, the sunsets can prove dramatic and you can shoot well into the evening hours. The autumn landscape adds dramatic fall foliage, particularly along Bostons beautiful Emerald Necklace. With the arrival of winter, the best shots come with a fresh blanket of snow.

For the accompanying photos presented in this book, sometimes the camera settings will be includedbut not always. Lighting conditions not only change from season to season but from second to secondthink a partly sunny day when a cloud quickly moves in. I dont want you to duplicate all of my settings, but instead learn how to rely on your own here-and-now photographic instincts.

Tourist season runs throughout the year in Boston but peaks during summer. The point here: For some iconic Boston shots, such as the USS Constitution or Old North Church visits, be prepared to wait in line. A number of parades and festivals are included in case youre in town and want to shoot a specific event. Im hoping youve already booked your hotel or are a local because youre on your own for accommodations. A few are mentioned in terms of geography within a particular neighborhood, not as a review for lodging. But I will mention a few restaurant suggestionsa photographers got to eat, after all!

I walk and take public transportation whenever possible. Pertinent T stops are included with each listing. I also did a few neighborhood drives, particularly when visiting South Boston and many of the areas metropolitan green spaces. Ill let you know which destinations I reached by car and will include directions.