MASSACHUSETTS, A Scenic Discovery (Bay Back Press) Photographs and Text by Steve Dunwell Reviewed by Carla Criqui

October 6, 2008

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<i>MASSACHUSETTS, A Scenic Discovery</i> (Bay Back Press) Photographs and Text by Steve Dunwell<br><br>Reviewed by Carla Criqui

MASSACHUSETTS, A Scenic Discovery (Bay Back Press) Photographs and Text by Steve Dunwell

Reviewed by Carla Criqui

It is impressive to see how Dunwell amasses such a wide assortment of images, representative of so many distinctive parts of Massachusetts. With this delightful compilation, Steve Dunwell entices the reader to explore and, if they haven't been there in a while, perhaps even revisit this beautiful and historic state.

Article rating: 8.17

In MASSACHUSETTS, A Scenic Discovery, veteran photographer, Steve Dunwell, continues to document one of his favorite subjects – his home state of Massachusetts. His love for Massachusetts is evident in the care and meticulous attention to detail in every one of D unwell's photographs.

As Dunwell reflects on the many changes that Massachusetts has undergone over the years, he explores the positive effects of those changes. With images of lush natural settings, historic villages and expansive cityscapes, Dunwell illustrates the numerous reasons that people love Massachusetts.

Regardless of the subject, Dunwell's photographs manage to captivate the viewer's attention without fail.

A photo of an autumn afternoon on Laurel Lake, Lee, beautifully captures the magnificent color changes of autumn leaves reflecting into a tranquil lake. It could transport the viewer back to a favorite childhood haunt to boat and fish.

Golden orange hues dominate a photograph of two rowing shells at sunrise on the Charles River. The photo evokes a feeling of serenity and solitude, similar to that one would expect to experience if seated in one of the shells.

In contrast, a photograph of the fireworks over the Esplanade's Hatch Shell in Boston on July 4th evokes the excitement and patriotism that one feels while watching a fiery display of color, hearing rousing patriotic anthems and celebrating with a crowd of friends and neighbors.

The pinks and mauves of the bouquet of flowers displayed on the outer wall of a charming New England home echo the pinks and mauves of the home's exterior paint. The colors attract the eye without overwhelming it; the focal point of flowers is neatly off-center, a neat artistic flourish that curtails any redundancy that might occur if the focal point remained at dead-center. The lace curtains and window ornaments on the left of the photograph add a needed counterpoint to the pinks throughout the rest of the photo.

In a photograph of a December evening in Williamstown, the viewer is treated to a photograph that is predominately white – a white house with white trim, covered in snow. Again, Dunwell maintains the viewer's interest by offering a slight contrast in color with the warm glow of entryway lighting, as well as with the dark contrast of a starkly barren tree to the left forefront of the photo.

The variety of subject matter available in Massachusetts for a photographer is vast. Dunwell manages to capture even seemingly simple subjects with the ease of an expert who knows his subject and is familiar with the various portrayals available. In two separate photographs of ferns, Dunwell interprets the subject in such a way as to keep each one a viable and interesting subject.

The image of ferns at Olmsted House in Brookline focuses directly on the foliage at hand, capturing the greens of the leaves, contrasted with purplish-blue undergrowth, rocky beiges and the deep browns in the background.

In contrast, the photo of the rock wall and autumn ferns in Mount Wachusett puts the ferns in a secondary role to the rock wall, which cuts diagonally across the photograph. The grays, greens and browns of the rock wall juxtaposed with the yellows, oranges and browns of the autumn ferns offer the viewer a much different feel for a somewhat similar subject.

The paper birch walkway at Naumkeag in Lenox shows an interesting symmetry that draws the eye from the light blue and white of the bottom opening of the walkway, up through each white loop of fence. The stark whiteness of the birch trees echoes the white fence railings, while contrasting with the greens of the leaves and the browns of the walkway itself. Dunwell shows his skill in capturing images that might be overlooked by a lesser artist.

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