Looking Back 2012: Pictures That Move
The house lights are coming on.
The ushers are coming down the aisles, rousting us.
They are starting to show us the door on 2012.
It’s been an active year here at JSP, lots of shooting, lots of sharing.
These are all ways I try to tell stories with my camera.
Still photos are the best way to tell a story. I believe in the power of the single image.
But sometimes, stories need to be told in full, in essay format. That can be either a series of images, or images set to a slideshow.
I’m still working on an end-of-year project, but here’s a look back a few of the photoessays I put together this past year.
Way back on January 1, the year started bright and early for me as I again shot with the Sons of Ireland Polar Bear Plunge down in Asbury Park.
Sons of Ireland Polar Bear Plunge 2012 from JerseyStyle Photography on Vimeo.
Just a few days later, I took a retreat…a Retreat To Goodisville – a look at the fans of author David Goodis who meet every year to celebrate his life, his death and his work.
Retreat To Goodisville 2012 from JerseyStyle Photography on Vimeo.
Dark Jersey was a short personal photo project I developed last winter. Lack of light, but still a lot there, I think.
Dark Jersey from JerseyStyle Photography on Vimeo.
After the dark days of winter, Springtime hit. And with it came a short photoessay on a dying piece of Americana.
Stranded At The Drive-In from JerseyStyle Photography on Vimeo.
Waiting for Summer, a photoessay shot just before Memorial Day weekend, became the most important, in some ways. Shot during a day down in Seaside Heights, it became especially important (to me, at least) after Hurricane Sandy hit later in the year. Seaside Heights was hit especially hard. The town, the boardwalk, the people – destroyed. But they’ve already started to rebuild. They WILL be back.
In June, we moved to new house in another town. Before we left, we had a “back alley BBQ” with our old neighbors…
Summer came, and we all had a great time in the new house, visits to the beach, and general explorations of New Jersey. But then came September, and with it, my little girl’s first day of kindergarten…One Day, Day One.
End of September saw me travel to one of my favorite cities, Chicago. It was on fire…
For many of us on the East Coast, 2012 will forever be defined by Hurricane Sandy…the Mean Old Broad that blew through here right before Halloween, changing things forever.
Hurricane Sandy ~ Mean Old Broad from JerseyStyle Photography on Vimeo.
After the storm, it was time to tell a Ghost Story of sorts. I was proud this one was also featured over at Rear Curtain.
A Ghost Story from JerseyStyle Photography on Vimeo.
Any favorites? Let me know.
© Mark V. Krajnak 2012 | JerseyStyle Photography | All rights Reserved
JerseyStyle Photography 
Amazing. Just amazing, all of them. My favorite ones are Dark Jersey, Ghost Story and the Drive-In. Does it come as a surprise to you? I have a very, very selfish wish for the upcoming New Year: may you grace my days with many more marks of your so great talent in 2013. OK, others can enjoy them, too.
Thank you for everything you brought to us all this past year, Mark. You’re a blessing.
Thanks you, Stefan. Too kind! (as usual!)
What a busy year you’ve had!
Wow, I knew you’d been prolific this year, just not how much so. wonderful work Mark, thanks for sharing. All the best to you and your family for the new year!
A lot of great work here, Mark. Naturally my fave would be Dark Jersey, but that doesn’t take away from the rest of the videos, all of which is phenomenal. The Sandy photos pack an emotive punch, and I enjoyed the one on Goodis, whose work I’ll have to check out. Dark Passage was the only one of his stories that I’d heard of, so it will be cool to discover more of his writing. Very enjoyable, Mark -thanks!