In his photography, Marblehead resident Fletcher Boland captures the ever-changing personality along New England’s coastline.
Boland first discovered his passion for photography after graduating from high school.
“I started photography when I was probably 19,” the Sudbury native told the Marblehead Current. “I started studying art first, starting off doing a lot of [metal] sculpture and then, took some photography classes and really got into it.”
In the years since, Boland has traveled the U.S. and abroad, honing his skills and photographic eye. But it was settling in Marblehead — where he joined the sailing community and made a home near the rocky coast — that his focus turned to the sea.
“I like showing the untouched coastline, seeing that natural slice of time,” Boland said.
From the serene to the tumultuous, his images encapsulate the power of the sea in various states: A foggy beach scene with gentle, lapping waves. A calm sea as falling snow blankets a pebbled shoreline. The power of the ocean as gale-force winds produce rough whitecaps and spray. A tranquil beach scene where sand dunes and sparse greenery foreground a vast, open sky.
He’s looking for help turning his photographs into a book. The book, titled “Sea State,” includes but is not limited to 20 of Boland’s images of Marblehead’s windswept shores alongside scenes from Cape Cod, Maine and beyond. Boland also captured coastal views in Florida, Bermuda, France and the Mediterranean.
“To help make the printing possible and spread the word, I’m launching a Kickstarter campaign” Boland said. “The campaign closes Dec. 2, and each supporter will receive a signed copy of the book.”
He will also have a solo exhibition at the Marblehead Arts Association, opening Jan. 14 for a six-week run.
“The title references how mariners categorize the ocean’s surface conditions based on the size and shape of waves, which are dictated by wind speed, swell size and other factors,” Boland said.
