Some sessions are memorable not just for the final images, but for the story behind them. This portrait session was a reminder that the most meaningful photographs often come from real connection, familiar rhythms, and a sense of place.
My latest portraits feature the Alley Family of Prospect Harbor, Maine, where four generations have built their lives on the waters of Downeast Maine. From grandfather to grandsons, each portrait tells the story of tradition, hard work, and the responsibility of carrying forward a way of life that has been passed down through generations.
The series begins with a family portrait—a reminder that Maine's lobster industry has always been rooted in family. It continues with individual portraits of the grandfather and each of his three grandsons, all of whom have chosen to become lobstermen. Together, the images illustrate how knowledge, values, and respect for the ocean are handed from one generation to the next.
When I began the Endangered Lobstermen project in 2022, I wanted to document the people behind one of Maine's most iconic industries. Since then, I've met families throughout the coast whose livelihoods face increasing uncertainty. Changing regulations, environmental challenges, rising costs, and the ongoing effort to protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale have all placed pressure on an industry that has sustained coastal communities for generations.
Yet what continues to inspire me is not the uncertainty—it's the resilience.
The Alley family represents so many Maine fishing families who continue to wake before dawn, work in every kind of weather, and teach the next generation not only how to haul traps, but how to respect the sea. These portraits celebrate that commitment and remind us that behind every lobster boat is a family whose history is deeply connected to Maine's working waterfront.
As a documentary photographer, I'm interested in more than making portraits. I want each photograph to tell a story. Every weathered face, every pair of working hands, and every family standing together reflects a legacy that deserves to be seen and remembered.
The Endangered Lobstermen series is my tribute to these families and to the enduring spirit of Maine's commercial lobstermen. My hope is that these photographs preserve not only the people, but also the traditions that have shaped Maine's coastal communities for centuries.
Thank you to the Alley family for welcoming me into your world and allowing me to document your family's remarkable story.
If you'd like to follow the continuing Endangered Lobstermen series, subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Instagram as I continue photographing the families who keep Maine's lobstering heritage alive—one portrait at a time.