about laura eldridge photography

laura eldridge crossed the canal in the summer of ‘85 in search of sea, sun, and fun. she was delighted to find an abundance of all.

accompanied by her trusty dog Tyler and a Pentax K1000, what started out as a summer adventure culminated in calling Cape Cod home.

the NYC native grew up photographing city street scenes and soaking up all that the scores of museums and galleries of the Big Apple had to offer. never without her camera, Laura's favorite subjects are children, the natural world, and the mundane.

“I love to use my camera to reveal the essence and uniqueness of every-day life. my images are a combination of natural light and color, and serendipity.”

laura lives in Brewster with her husband Scott and their two children, Tori and Jake.

see "philosophy" below

shows, shops and events

cape cod museum of art - gift shop
rt. 6a dennis, ma
ongoing

jo mama's bagel shop
Rt. 6A, Orleans, MA
July 2007

brewster barber shop
underpass Rd
brewster, ma
march - ongoing 2007

philosopy

Photographic images are the “words” I use to record the journal of my life…

For me, photography is not about creating art or the mastering of skills; it is all about capturing a specific moment in time. Photographs unveil a vast range of human emotions, enabling one to study the joy, determination, fear, sorrow, or surprise on a person’s face. It gives one a chance to examine expressions at a level which is not possible while they are happening and to the remember feelings and emotions associated with a specific instance.

Photographing the landscape is similar. It never looks the same twice. I use photographs to remember a particular place or circumstance surrounding that place. In the movie “Smoke” Harvey Keitel’s character, Auggie, photographs the same city street corner everyday, for years. His results are never same. This strikes me as the essence of photography.

Photography is also about giving. I love to share photos. They create instant joy. I am thrilled that I am living during the digital age; it facilitates the giving. It allows me to shoot as many photographs as I want, which is very liberating.

3rd grade, PS 188. I took this Polaroid snapshot at the age of 8. The occasion of this photo was a pivotal moment in my life. It was my last day of school in Queens, NY. The year was 1971 and my family was moving to another state, thus necessitating continuing 3rd grade in a new school. I distinctly remember the mixed emotions: the excitement of asking the teacher permission to take the photo and the weighty importance of taking the photo; all the while dealing with the sadness and fear of leaving the world I knew. I was acutely aware that I would never be back to this room again.

Photography has been a part of my life ever since then. I got my first camera when I was 12, a used Pentax K1000 that I had until I was out of college. I also had an Olympus XA rangefinder, pocket sized, which was given to me as a high school graduation present. When my Pentax was stolen out of my car in Boulder, CO. I was really upset. I replaced it with a Minolta SR-T 201. The next purchase was a Canon Rebel which I still have, but sits on a closet shelf. I currently shoot with a digital Canon 30d.

My parents both owned cameras. My mother was very passionate about photography and encouraged my interest. My Dad let me borrow his Nikon on many occasions. My mom’s friends owned a camera store and they helped me out considerably, with both encouragement and equipment.

Now, I am passing this love of photography on to my daughter, Tori, who has inherited one of my Canon "point and shoots." Often, she borrows my 30d and shoots away. It is truly inspiring to watch her take pictures and it brings back many memories.