J D SCHWARTZ
I have been told that I see objects and things in a different way. I view photography as a means of expression like a brush, or a pen. My passion for ships and their elements of design, the ocean, and destinations, are the focus of my pictures, shot from my view, using a lens as a form of medium - in black and white. After 150 cruises (I started at the young age of seven) I have captured 22 voyages since my life changed in 2015 in this Gallery of Ships. After that first cruise in 1967 on the SS Rotterdam, my dream was to cross the Atlantic on ocean liner. In 2015, I was empowered to cross the Atlantic and did so on Cunard's iconic Queen Mary 2 in July 2016. This epic experience paralleled that of my life and since that first crossing, I learned I never have to say "I should have" again. It took three crossings on QM2 to get the photos right for a book I was driven to produce and I did just that. "Divine Crossings, One Man's Destiny" (www.qm2divine.com) is a self published photographic chronicle. An accounting of this epic experience complemented with memorable commentary and uplifting quotes.
Colorless Photography
I share David Geffin's opinion, photographer, regarding black and white photography as follows: "I care more about the relationship between my subject and background, rather than a distracting color. It’s freed up that part of my brain. Black and white allows you to begin to think about key elements (lighting, and composition,) that you might otherwise not focus on as much when you’re thinking about making colors work together."
The Obsession
Following my first cruise in '67, my dream was to cross the Atlantic on an ocean liner. Fifty-years (+) later, I learned to never say "I should have" again and I sailed Cunard's Queen Mary 2 across the Atlantic. Then, I wrote a book, Divine Crossings (www.qm2divine.com) which explains it all.An obsession of ships and the ocean evidenced throughout the pages on this site began in 1967 on my first cruise to the Caribbean on Holland America's SS Rotterdam (V). Fifty years, and roughly 150-plus cruises later, I realized it would be a good thing to share this lifetime journey, or at the very least, produce an accounting of these voyages for my own purposes. I do not profess to be a professional writer or photographer. I use words and images like a pen or a brush.
"It isn't that life at ashore is distasteful to me. But life at sea is better."
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE
My passion (and addiction) for cruises ensued. So did my photography. I learned quickly how to efficiently catalog the thousands of images from each ship, each cruise, the elements, and the ports of call. This became a momentous task and culminated in this web site. Knowing my passion for ships and the seas were not unique to me, I set out to refine and compile the galleries herein so as to share the imagery captured through my experiences. With a background in printing and design, selling prints with a framing option was a given.
Ultimately, life really is a journey, not a destination. My primary objective with photography was to create libraries of images for myself so I could reminisce and revisit these incredible experiences - doing what I love to do most. If you have a love of ships and the unique elements they possess; the ocean; amazing sky-scapes, and more, then I promise you will find Gallery of Ships satisfying. My own personal journeys and experience offer adventure, fantasy, and allure. I hope to capture an audience who will vicariously experience their own renaissance through these photographic galleries. Some have called my photography "infectious". Others simply don't get it. Shared from the heart, I hope Gallery of Ships quenches anyone's thirst for a love of ships, the sea and photography.
Find yourself, seek out and embark. Life is good. J D Schwartz
"It's what you do with what you got."
Walt Disney