Pictorally Speaking

Pictorally Speaking features cameras from Wistariahurst’s archive alongside photos Charles Abel has taken of Holyoke. Abel captures views of modern-day Holyoke from a historical perspective- literally.

About his process, Abel says, “I saw the 5×7 field camera, and I knew that was the one. After cleaning the camera and testing it for light-leaks, I made a few sample images to get a feel for the camera…In the end, this series of photographs is a combination of modern documentary images taken in

the Pictorialist style with a 100-year-old camera and 125-year-old lens.” 

About the Artist:

Charles (Chuck) Abel is currently working as a Librarian at the Chicopee Public Library.

He also teaches a Photographic Archives class for Simmons University as an Adjunct

Professor. He plans to continue to photograph, as he has done for the past 35 years, Holyoke and the

Pioneer Valley.

Abel also worked as a newspaper photographer for 25 years, starting at the Holyoke Transcript and then the Springfield Newspapers. He was the Photo Editor for the Daily Hampshire Gazette for 10 years. Abel has an MFA in Photography from the University of Hartford and a Masters of Library and Information Science from Simmons University.

This program was funded in part by a grant from the Holyoke Local Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.