Who came first
My Great grandfather, Emmett Calvey, was the news photographer for the Taunton Gazette and the personal police and crime scene photographer in Taunton for over 30 years. His name can still be seen on plaques around town for the work he did there. In the early 1960's he was even in the running for a Pulitzer prize.
Grandad, as he is known in the family, worked with large format film cameras and converted the barn behind his house into a fully functioning darkroom. All of his work with photography got his daughter, my nana, M. Virginia Gravely involved in the photography world as well.
Grandad showing (then senator)
John F. Kennedy his darkroom
Generation 2
Where Emmett took a very business-minded approach to photography, Virginia worked on a more personal level. She became our Church’s photographer doing all the First Communion and Confirmation pictures. Her photos can also be seen around Easton, MA, specifically at Oliver Ames High School where she photographed all the Marching Band and Show Choir competitions as well as all of the Theater productions particularly during the years her own children and grandchildren were in school. Virginia also worked for many years in a photo developing store back when film was the way of the world. There, her keen eye easily color-corrected photos by the hundreds on a daily basis. Virginia, before teaching me, passed on her love and knowledge of photography to her son Robert Gravely.
Generation 3
Robb followed along in his mother’s footsteps. He was the yearbook photographer at Oliver Ames High School and later went on to graduate form the Rhode Island School of Photography. Robb was the first in the family to take a non-traditional approach to photography. He experimented with angles and lighting to create more drastic images with different perspectives.
Who I Am
That’s where I come in, Generation 4. I got my first camera when I was 6 years old. It was a 35mm Minolta film camera and I absolutely loved it. Nana taught me how to use it and how to adjust my settings for various kinds of light. I still have the little cardboard cheat-sheet she made me taped to the back of that camera so I would know what aperture to use and when. I spent years working with film cameras. I learned how to develop my own film and printed my own photos in our family darkroom. I learned the importance of patience and proper timing when seeking the perfect shot. Since then, the photography world has come a long way. As film has died down, I’ve adapted and become proficient in the digital world. I studied at the New England School of Photography where I learned much more about the digital process and photo editing, but was also able to dive back into a dark room and re-experience the more romantic side of photography; where you get your hands dirty and physically experience creating images.
What’s Next
Now I’m looking to combine my Great Grandad’s business model with my Nana’s personal approach and my uncle’s artistic style. I love taking pictures, I love editing them, and I especially love being able to show people how I see the world. I enjoy nature photography, which I consider my hobby, but professionally I’m passionate about portraiture. I feel that my view of the world through the lens of my camera is different from others, and I love being able to share that with people.
