Chapel Hill's Town Treasures - 2008 Honorees

Growing up in Chapel Hill, I was aware of the mover’s and shakers of the town. It has been a privilege to photograph twelve of the most influential leaders of Chapel Hill’s history for the Chapel Hill Historical Society’s exhibit "Town Treasures."

Our community’s history can easily be lost as new people move into town who are not aware of the rich past of Chapel Hill.

I was honored to be a part of this project because photographing each contributor in his or her natural environment is a part of preserving this part of preserving this aspect of our past. I worked with each participant individually, incorporating items from their lives in each photograph.

The Chapel Hill Society, whose motto is "making the past present," is dedicated to preserving the history of Chapel Hill so that future generations will have opportunity to know the achievements and struggles of their town. It was such an honor to work with so many wonderful men and women that were at the heart of Chapel Hill’s history.

"Hope it continues to maintain the spirit you see here. It’s a great place where people are treated as equals—no matter how high you might rise, you’re still the same person here. I hope Chapel Hill will always be vibrant and intellectually stimulating, and, most importantly, that it stays free—we had to fight for it in our day and I guess each generation has to do the same."
~ Bill Friday

Town Treasures - Connecting the Past and the Present

What I have enjoyed most about working on the Town Treasures Exhibit has been the ability to connect the past and the present through visual images. I worked with twelve influential people in shaping Chapel Hill’s identity as a lively town in North Carolina.

I worked with each participant in his or her own house, office or other natural location. This provided a wonderful opportunity to bring out some of the photographs or treasures in their lives.

For example, Maxine Swalin holds a book of music, since she was instrumental in reviving the orchestra, founded in 1932 but struggled to find funds for the orchestra for several years later. We also used several of her paintings, photographs, her autobiography, An Ear to Myself as well as her husbands, Hard Circus Road: The Odyssey of the North Carolina Symphony, to surround her.

By using her treasures in her portrait, we have given the audience a sense of her accomplishments and a depth to her life that you may not see if it was only her alone in the photograph. Visually, we bring the past into the present, adding texture and depth to her story.

Town Treasures - The Benefit of Black and White Photography

Sometimes color can be distracting, so I used black and white photography, as in Town Treasures, an exhibit for The Chapel Hill Historical Society. Using black and white brings out the stories and expressions in portraits or the use of natural settings.

The use of black and white can soften a photograph, so the audience pays attention to expression of a scene rather than the range of color. Even if the photograph is full of activity, black and white lends itself to emotional expressions.

Town Treasures - Bringing Character to Light

Often, our spouses or partners bring the best of us to light. When I work with couples, I use their interaction to bring forth their genuine expressions. When I photographed couples in "Town Treasures," I was able to use a familiar environment such as their home or an outdoor setting to create a comfortable and natural photograph.

In addition, the placement of a hand, posture, use of angles, or even the way the couple looks in the camera gives a sense of their relationship, bringing their character to light, both individually and as a couple.