What sticks out to us about John Brock’s (aka @rockinbrock) photography is the vivid way he captures everyday life living in Baltimore. Architecture, clouds and people are recurring subjects for the adventurous father of two.
The Darkroom caught up with Brock about how he edits his images, what he loves about Baltimore and where he found his love of photography.
In September 2012, I photographed a group of women diagnosed with terminal stage IV breast cancer. Kay, Gretchen, CJ, Cece and Sally, as well as other members of METAvivor Research and Support, often held informal gatherings. A non-profit organization, METAvivor provides support to patients, raises awareness, and awards annual research grants for stage IV breast cancer. Many of its members form close friendships in the process of sharing their struggles and triumphs.
As I photographed these women, I was struck by their energy, joyful demeanor and dedication in helping others with the same diagnosis. I wondered how these ladies live with the possibility of death so close at hand while at the same time not only managing the painful and debilitating effects of the disease and its treatment. What gives them the courage to carry on with such grace? Has their philosophy of life changed? Their view of death? Here are their answers.
One of Baltimore’s most charming assets are its hundreds of murals artfully sprayed, stenciled and painted across a broad canvas of city buildings. How wonderful it is to turn a corner and be surprised by a striking painting 30 feet high. Or, to pass by the same mural every day, and marvel at how it seems to change with the time of day and the weather. These kaleidoscopes of colors and graphic imagery affirm a dynamic city teeming with creativity and promise.
I saw the old house first, set behind a row of faded 19th century houses strung along Falls Road a mile north of the city-county line. It was a caved-in box that had given up being a home many winters ago. The dried vines that clambered up the weathered wood couldn’t hide the gaping holes where windows had been.
It was quite the gig at the National Aquarium. A skin-tight, sequined mermaid costume with a 15-foot train. A team of frogmen carried her across a makeshift pond and placed her on a rock. Cameras clicked and flashed. Three seals paid a visit followed by then Baltimore Mayor William Donald Schaefer in an old-fashion swimsuit.
Deborah Lee Walker, who posed with Schaefer for the iconic 1981 photo, shares her tale three decades later: “I had no idea it was going to be as big a deal as it was. But it turned out to be the most fun I ever had on a job.”
From fireworks to 2013 glasses and hats, here’s a look at New Year celebrations around the world.
Wilson Hicks, former Executive Editor for Life Magazine, once wrote, “The most graphic reporting is eyewitness reporting. ‘I was there, I saw it happen, it was like this.’ In journalistic print, the firsthand account which comes closest to reproducing the actuality of an event is the picture…”
Baltimore Sun photographers were on hand to witness and photograph the highs and lows of 2012, from the resurgent Orioles making the playoffs for the first time in 15 years to the devastation of Superstorm Sandy.
The images in this gallery are a sampling of these pictures as selected by Sun Director of Photography Robert Hamilton. Some of these photographs are from significant events that shaped the lives of people; others are small moments of universal truths.
If you live in Baltimore and you’re on Instagram, there’s a good chance you’ve come across @flynnfinity aka Josh Flynn. Flynn, who lives and works in Baltimore, won the award for “Best Instagram” at the Mobbies this year.
The Darkroom caught up with Flynn about Instagram’s Terms of Service debacle, his series #baileystraightchillin and the advantages of using a camera phone on the fly.
The Darkroom caught up with instagrammer Jen DuMars, aka @strange_agent, about being motivated by failure, what makes a place and why most of her photos aren’t captioned.
The longtime Maryland resident, who splits time between West Annapolis and Charles Village, shoots her Instagram photos with an iPhone 4S, many while commuting to her public policy job in Washington.
The Lisbon Ole Fashion Christmas Horse Parade was held for the second year on Saturday. But with the number of people who showed up to see the holiday-dressed horses parade through town, you’d think it had been going on for decades.
The parade moved west across Frederick Road in Lisbon, in Howard County, and featured horses and people of all sizes, wearing any number of holiday and Christmas costumes. Watch the video below the gallery to see some action from the parade.
The art of glass making
Great Baltimore Fire of 1904
120 Pearls to film: Q&A with Kaitlin Newman
Time lapse video: Ravens fans in Federal Hill
Rough Cut: Ravens Super Bowl win over 49ers
Left behind at Sparrows Point
Matt ‘Fan Man’ Andrews: The Godfather of Ravens fans
The Silent Guardians: Cemeteries of Baltimore City
Remembering former Orioles manager Earl Weaver
Instagrammer feature with @rockinbrock
Courage and strength: Living with stage IV breast cancer
Baltimore, City of Murals
Ray Lewis retrospective: 1996-2013
Year in review: Official White House photos from 2012
Bare Hills, A Contrast in Time
Double Exposure series