“Jeffrey Serusa: Capturing Moments at Louisa Gould Gallery”

The emergence of digital photography has enabled virtually anyone with an affordable camera or smartphone to capture images freely without fretting over film expenses. Conversely, photographer Jeffrey Serusa stands apart, expressing a discontent for what he terms “rapid photography.” Serusa continues to work with film, employing a traditional large-format view camera reminiscent of classic cinema (imagine bellows and a fabric hood), taking his time to capture the ideal moment.

The pinnacle of Serusa’s perseverance is epitomized in his photograph “Sea Smoke.” This memorable image showcases the Islander ferry shrouded in a gray mist that merges the horizon of sea and sky. Serusa dedicated eight years to seize the unique phenomenon depicted in the image.

Sea smoke refers to a low-level fog that occurs when frigid air moves over warmer water. For the evocative image, he positioned his unwieldy camera and tripod near the Vineyard Haven ferry terminal on a morning when temperatures lingered around zero and winds exceeded 40 miles per hour. “Everything in the air was ice crystals,” Serusa recalls. “I knew the weather conditions were ideal. I had a clear idea of where I would stand and when the boat was scheduled to arrive. At last, I got a flash of sunlight that lasted for about two seconds.”

Serusa’s determination and dedication bore fruit. The image is hauntingly exquisite, with the ferry appearing through the fog, its white surface illuminated by a beam of sunlight, starkly contrasting against the pervasive gray mist.

This image, along with several others, is currently exhibited at the Louisa Gould Gallery on Main Street in Vineyard Haven. Serusa is the inaugural photographer that Gould has represented. An esteemed, award-winning maritime photographer in her own right, Louisa Gould ceased showcasing her work at the gallery a few years ago and selected Serusa to fill the gap after meeting him and reviewing his portfolio.

The new collaboration between the gallerist and artist has also bridged a void for the photographer. For a decade, Serusa owned and ran his own gallery on Beach Road in Vineyard Haven. He shuttered the business in 2016 after he and his wife purchased a farm in West Tisbury. The labor on the farm has transformed into a full-time commitment for Serusa, who no longer captures or prints his own pieces.

Recently, Serusa has begun presenting his artwork on aluminum, which, according to Gould, has garnered significant interest. This metal medium adds an additional layer to the photographer’s work, showcasing the light that Serusa has skillfully captured in numerous images.

Another theme for the photographer is vintage boats, particularly their pointed bows. Three images of this subject are available for viewing. One is, predictably, a photograph of an antique lifeboat from the Islander, which Serusa found behind the MV Museum. The remaining two photographs feature old wooden boats—one a yacht, constructed around the turn of the 20th century by the renowned Herreshoff boatyard in Bristol, Rhode Island. The other image is of a historical cruise ship’s lifeboat.

For the boat images, Serusa eliminated the background to emphasize the shapes and surface details of these classic models. Beyond this type of image manipulation, Serusa does not use Photoshop or alter his photographs in any manner. He favors waiting for the perfect image, no matter how long it might take. His choice to utilize film instead of digital results in images that remain authentic to reality.

“Film doesn’t deceive,” he asserts. “What you photograph is what you captured.” Serusa has recognized that film offers clarity and precision in large prints. He elaborates that using a large-format camera allows him to enlarge his images to dimensions as large as three to four feet without loss of clarity.

Serusa acknowledges that traditional film photography is increasingly challenging. “It’s really becoming impossible to obtain film nowadays,” he remarks, mentioning that one type he regularly used is completely unavailable now.

“The sole reason I continue this work,” Serusa says, referring to printing his images, “is that it grounds me.”

Alongside the canvas and aluminum prints displayed at the gallery, Gould is also presenting a series of notecards featuring additional images, all of which can be ordered in various sizes on canvas, aluminum, or as framed museum-grade paper prints.

Currently featured at the gallery is the annual Small Wonders Holiday Show, showcasing smaller, more budget-friendly works by many of Gould’s most favored artists. This exhibition will remain on display throughout the rest of December and into January. Jeffrey Serusa’s work will be continuously exhibited, with new prints added periodically.

The Louisa Gould Gallery is located at 54 Main Street, Vineyard Haven. The gallery is presently open from 11 am to 5 pm daily. Visit louisagould.com.