Join us "behind the shot" and hear from photographers Trev W. Adams, Greg Adams, Luke Cuccurullo, and Kim Slouf as they share the stories behind some of their favorite photos from the upcoming release, Above & Across Philadelphia.
Above & Across Philadelphia is exclusively available at Trope.com and will be available in stores October 14th.
Trev W. Adams
This is the Drake in Philly. I was helping a friend move her stuff into her new apartment which had an epic view of the Drake over near the Rittenhouse neighborhood. Anyways, I had my camera on me that day and the sun started setting. I got lucky with the light, but the real funny thing was the man watering his plants in the blue shirt. I knew he was in the photo, but a few weeks later, his family reached out to me to tell me they wanted a print of the shot. Always super fun to see how small this town really is. You can't take a photo without someone recognizing somebody in it.
This image was shot at Independence Hall in Old City a few weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine. The community got together to make their voices heard about that injustice, and they brought their individual flags with them. For a moment I noticed a light leak coming down Chestnut Street, and I threw my 600mm lens on (I have no idea why I had that one on me that day). Anyways this image was very zoomed in, sort of compressing the crowd onto themselves, and I thought it gave it a weird dimension. I live for moments where the light tells me what to do. There is a quote in a photo book I have where someone wrote a message to a friend inside the cover, "thank you for teaching me how to see." Sometimes, to me it feels like if I just slow down to watch the world move, the light starts showing me things. But you've got to be still for a while and block out the noise.
Greg Adams
In 2016, I purchased my first high-end camera and my first drone. Months later, I moved from Paoli, Pennsylvania, to Phoenix, Arizona. I really began my photography journey in the desert, capturing stunning red rocks and canyons in entirely natural scenes. I spent as much time as I could with a controller or camera in my hands. Everything I learned focused on landscapes, from optimizing lighting to discovering new compositions in popular destinations. In March 2020, I moved back to Philadelphia, driving across the country as COVID chased me from the West Coast to the East. I couldn't wait to be home with my family and friends, especially with the world grinding to a halt.
Returning to Philadelphia represented a reset for me in many ways. However, one notable change was the subject of my favorite hobby, which had now shifted to an urban setting. During the lockdowns, photography became my escape, and I ventured to outdoor locations around the city to fly my drone. This image is from my first flight back in my hometown. I was nervous that the skills I acquired out in the wild wouldn't translate to cityscapes, but after seeing just how beautiful our skyline could be I knew I could pick up right where I left off. It represented a new opportunity to learn, a new beginning, fitting that it was a sunrise.
It was a gloomy day walking around the streets of Philadelphia, but spring is famous for cloud inversions in the city. Philly was still in COVID lockdown, and I had been flying regularly and getting comfortable with where to launch from to get the best compositions. Some light started peeking through the fog, so I decided to pop the drone up to see what I could see. After climbing through the darkness for a moment I was beside myself looking at the view of the skyscrapers shrouded in the remnants of the morning mist.
An overcast morning had somehow yielded one of my all-time favorite images of Philadelphia. This was a shot I had dreamt of ever since seeing an inversion from the top of the Four Seasons Hotel previously. I had doubts about even flying based on what I was seeing from ground level, but I'm glad I followed my gut, and it worked out. "The moment" is such a big part of photography for me, and having a controller in your hands forces you to live in the present. Being in the right place at the right time paid off.
Luke Cuccurullo
Growing up, my stepfather worked for the Navy as a Civilian contractor responsible for the software that helped launch and land aircraft from battleships. I recall taking tours of battleships as a child and marveling at the ingenuity required to create such a massive floating structure that houses so many people.
For as long as I have lived in Philadelphia, the SS United States has been a staple of South Philly along the river, with the idea of its eventual restoration. Earlier this year, news broke that the ship was going to be moved and eventually sunk to create an artificial reef. This is when I knew I had to take my drone and capture what seemed like a part of Philly before its final departure. I was happy to capture the grandeur of the vessel as well as the city skyline in the photo. It’s also inspiring to see the different vantage points that drones allow us to find. This photo reminds my stepfather's favorite photo I have taken. I am glad I was able to preserve a little bit of Philadelphia's history before it was taken away.
Kim Slouf
This shot was taken while I was walking across the Ben Franklin Bridge. The pier [Race Street Pier] and bridge are popular spots not only for photography, but for runners, yogis, artists, musicians, and visitors. The views of the Philadelphia skyline from the bridge, especially at sunset, are incredible.
With most of my shots, this one included, I’m always looking to capture a different perspective from a familiar location. Thanks to a fear of heights, I don’t often look down while on the bridge. On this particular day, I did and realized how unique of a perspective it gave me of the pier below. By capturing the pier from above, each person’s, or group of people’s, story is told on the same level. Shooting the pier from ground level forces the layering of people to the foreground, background, or somewhere in between.
This photo encapsulates much of what I seek out in each shot - a moment in time of the story of Philadelphia. Each person on that pier has a story worth sharing. Each story and each person are unique, but together, we are all part of the story that makes up the city of Philadelphia.
Another popular spot for photographers is the South Street bridge which offers beautiful views of the city skyline looking east. Sunrises from the bridge are spectacular when the weather cooperates.
On this particular day, I was at the bridge for a sunrise shoot, hoping to witness a beautiful array of pinks, purples, and orange dance across the sky. While the sun never quite painted the sky that morning, it did create stunning light off the buildings, and crisp shadows on the Schuylkill Trail boardwalk.
The Schuylkill Trail provides a bit of an escape from the city, as it follows the Schuylkill River north and south across the western side of the city. Walkers, runners, and bicyclists traveling in and out of the shot provide a juxtaposition, and a story, to the skyline in the background. The contrast of the singular person on the trail to the enormity of the buildings is one of my favorite captures in the city.
Order your copy of Above & Across Philadelphia today and read part 1 with photographers Brian Fishman, Brett Gross, Lichao Liu, and Daniel Moreno.