February 06, 2025

Volume 210

THIS TIME OF YEAR IS BEING DEFINED BY THE SLOWER PACE.

As curated by Tucker Finerty

Short days, long walks, and a lot of time bouncing ideas off of the scenery, using the cleansing breath of cold that blows off the ocean to help clear the mind after an extremely busy summer and fall.

I currently live on Nantucket, an island 30 miles off the coast of Massachusetts. Nantucket translates to “The Faraway Land” in Wampanoag. The island developed differently from mainland New England, and still has its own pace of play; unique lifestyles of outdoorsmen and artists have always been a staple here. As with most islands, they develop their own ethos, and communities seem to reflect that.


There's a lot of unique characters out there, driven by the fact that people need to make it work, creativity is often at the heart of living on an island, people have to make due with what they've got. A point of pride is to try and do justice to the unique beauty that runs as a counterpoint to the highlighted summer on the island. The island and its people are stunning and active year round, and it's become an enduring project to share a glimpse of that side of this place with those who might not know to look for it.

What's been keeping you grounded?

Embracing the cold, cold walks, cold swims, cold shoots. It's shocking how clarifying it is. It helps to follow thoughts to the end of the line. It's hard during the busy season, things always getting cut short or a distraction arising and then attention abandons me. 



I ground myself by long cold walks on the far side of the island. On the east side of the island, if you were to jump in the water and swim straight the next bit of land you hit is Europe. Sitting and staring off into that expanse as the waves pulse has a way of letting your brain open up.

What are you into lately?

I'm into coastal towns, old fisheries, and islands. Learning, scouting, researching. I was glued to the alpine and mountains for the previous years. I was fortunate enough to have been mostly abroad and traveling prior to washing ashore here during covid. Much of that work was in the mountains of either Europe, Central Asia or South America. So these locations, these stories and these traditions are totally new to me.

It’s been a stretch to adapt to shooting and working within the coastal environments. A lot of these communities have played such a critical role in society, especially feeding society, but now are vanishing literally with the tide. They often get overlooked, or looked at too quickly and people's gaze moves on. But the details and stories that hide within them are enough to overwhelm a person.

Trying to do justice to the people and legacy makes you bring your A game, plus if you want to work on your people skills, walk in cold to a fishing town or village and see if you can win over somebody from scratch. You develop thick skin but the feeling when people open up and share with you something they're proud of, and you're trusted to capture it, it's one of the best feelings out there.

KIT OF THE WEEK

Big on the Shipyard Canvas this Winter. Made life a lot easier being able to run through different environments and still having it look good and hold up to the abuse that comes with this style of photography. Get a sneaky 20% off Shipyard Canvas because you’re reading this. 
Use code TUCKER20.

What are you reading?

WHOSE WRITING IS INSPIRING YOU LATELY

Open: The Story of Human Progress
by Johan Norberg

The Lobster Coast: Rebels, Rusticators, and the Struggle for a Forgotten Frontier
by Colin Woodward

What are you drinking?

In all truthfulness, I don't drink often but right now Bourbon hot toddies with a sprig of rosemary check all the boxes for keeping a person going mid winter.

Quote of the Week

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“If the path ahead of you is clear, you're probably on someone else's" 
- Joseph Campbell