1992 "Sailing Past the WTC"
For me personally, the anniversary of September 11th is a time of extreme sadness and dread. September is a beautiful month -the weather in Northern New Jersey is often at its finest, as the humid hot summer days give way to endless clear skies, crisp mornings, and the NFL.
But for many of us who lived through that horrible day six years ago, the season of change has turned into a season sadness. A heaviness-of-heart permeates my soul, and six years later it has not become any easier. Last year -the 5th anniversary, was a particularly difficult day; covering three memorial events in two days was emotional and painful. For me, 9/11 related assignments have become increasingly more difficult to cover. On this subject, I have lost my ability to separate my job -often involving photographing the families of lost loved ones at remembrance services with tears in my eyes, from my personal feelings about that day.
This year I decided to take the day off -a personal day of reflection and rest. I believe, and I hope, it will soon become an official day of reflection. Perhaps a new "Memorial Day," where all businesses and institutions remain closed.
This is a photo of a sailboat on the Hudson sailing past the Twin Towers, taken from Jersey City or Hoboken in the early 1990's. It was shot on chrome film, just past sunset. It's one of my favorite images of the towers, with beautiful light and color, made at a time in my life when I spent all my free time doing what I love -making photographs. Here is a link to a portfolio of photos of the WTC -many of which I discovered in my personal archive sometime after 9/11.
The two vertical towers were not the most artful of architectural structures, they were plain in design, and the surrounding plaza was one of the coldest, soulless places imaginable. But they had presence. They were a favorite subject of mine -especially from the Jersey side, and I miss seeing those tall beams, often acting as a beacon or point of orientation from afar.
It sickens me when I think about all of those innocent lives lost so senselessly, and the national heartache September 11th has become. To me, they remain a proud symbol.
9/11: 6TH ANNIVERSARY
