Athens. March 2026.
Athens, Greece.
3/26/2026. We meet at last. In March I took my first trip to Greece, followed by a few days in Istanbul. Greece has occupied a special place in my concept of the world since I was young. While not a large place, to me it has always been a prominent place, a place with allure and mystique, a place of significance.
While this trip had been planned six months in advance, the war in Iran had broken out in the intervening time, just two weeks prior to departure. While I knew it was far enough away, I felt apprehensive and ashamed for pursuing a dream while my country pursued war to the east. Ultimately I stuck with the plan, but thoughts of the situation in the Middle East weighed heavily on my mind.
The weather for most of this trip was equally weighty - wind, clouds and often rain. On my first full day in Athens, it was time to catch my first glimpse of the Acropolis, a place that has captivated me for decades. After countless art history classes on the topic, it was a pilgrimage. Walking out of Monastiraki and encountering Hadrian’s Library was almost surreal. Here we are, the real thing.
Some places demand your attention and must be seen in person. Some places also demand that you spend time with them. And that is what I did. Night after night I made the trip from Piraeus into central Athens and up to the hills overlooking the Acropolis. Wind, gray clouds and all, we spent time together. It was as majestic as I had imagined it to be and the fact that weather conditions often made photography difficult only strengthened its grip on me. It was how it needed to be.
Eventually I encountered more favorable weather, but not before I had gone up there several times. And still I returned again. It was how it needed to be, and it is not the end.
Industrial Sunset. April 2025.
Marugame, Shikoku, Japan.
4/4/2025. Work progresses on my 16 Knots project. I recently spent a couple weeks exploring the Seto Inland Sea region in Western Japan. This gorgeous area is dotted with countless islands and is home to dozens of shipyards. Imabari Shipbuilding operates several large yards throughout the region. Pictured here is Imabari’s Marugame Yard, a location I’ve been wanting to see for quite some time.
As impressive as Japan’s shipbuilding industry is, it’s facing an uncertain future. Competition and price undercutting from China have resulted in substantial marketshare decline for Japanese and Korean shipbuilders. This, combined with uncertainty in global trade and the world order have created substantial headwinds.
Inner Harbor, Boston
Past, Present, Future. Revolution and Evolution.
Boston, Massachusetts. 6/22/2022.
Summer 2022, a journey of rediscovery.
After two years of disruption, it’s time to reconnect, rediscover and find new inspiration. I began this process in late winter, the first of my staycations where I sought to rediscover my community on foot. It was meaningful to revisit many local sites and find new haunts. Recently, I gave this popular location in East Boston a try.
Within this frame, many glimpses of Boston’s past are seen alongside the present and hints of the future. John Winthrop’s “City Upon a Hill” began as a British Colonial Era port, became known as the birthplace of the American Revolution, and now serves as a 21st century global hub of science and technology. Perhaps the best way to conceptualize this evolving bayside community that is at once historic and modern is to think of a garlic or onion with its many layers. One facet of its centuries long metamorphosis however, is that much of the City Upon a Hill actually sits on top of former salt marsh and tidal flats.
While the economic dynamism of the 21st century is difficult to ignore, new challenges have arisen. Rising sea levels, housing costs, displacement and transportation are all challenges that will have to be met if this community is to continue thriving and evolving. Will a city known for its ingenuity find solutions, or will the sea reclaim what is perhaps the most American of all cities?