Since
he was given his first camera at age ten, Hank Schless has immersed
himself in the art of photography. Today, Hank draws inspiration
from classic New England vistas like cobblestone Boston streets and
landscapes along the coast. A Beacon Hill resident, Hank has an
affinity for the neighborhood and a unique ability to capture its
character. We are delighted to have several of Hank’s local
shots on view in our Beacon
Hill office. Read on to discover how Hank got started in the
industry, his photography bucket list, and his advice for aspiring
photographers.
Tell us a bit about your background in photography. How did
you learn the craft and get started in the industry?
When I was much younger growing up in Connecticut, I remember
always gravitating towards engaging photographs and wondering how
the photographer was able to capture what I was seeing. It started
with photos of sports, as I would immediately rip through the first
few pages of Sports Illustrated where they have their featured
photos of the month, but eventually grew into a great appreciation
for the skill and attention to detail it takes to create a truly
great photo in any environment.
It just so happened that a very close family friend of ours, who is
from Marblehead, was at one time a professional photographer and
now runs a successful agency. Once I decided I wanted to get a
camera, I remember asking him whether I should go with film or
digital (it was 2002, so this was still a debate). The next time I
saw him, he had a little point-and-shoot camera for me, and at ten
years old, my journey began.
I took that camera everywhere. Eventually, I saved money from
summer jobs to buy my first digital SLR, and really started to dive
into more complex work. In that time, I also started photographing
athletic events for my high school and realized there could be a
business side of this. Eventually, I went off to college at Bates,
and if I wasn’t on the water or in the erg room as a member
of the varsity crew team, I was covering athletic events for the
school.
Once I graduated, I started to explore more of the artistic side of
photography by focusing on landscape work. I also started paying
more attention to the business side and now have a healthy balance
between my full-time cybersecurity career and photography as a side
business that I’m very passionate about.
Your work features many shots of city scenes, along with many
landscape pieces. What are the unique challenges or benefits to
shooting in each environment?
One of the biggest challenges with any environment is that it might
not always be exactly what you’re hoping for. Whether
it’s in the city or a spot that I drove hours to get to,
There have been plenty of times when the light isn’t right,
it starts pouring rain, or clouds roll in ten minutes before sunset
and the colors are all gone. You need to be willing to adapt to
your environment, and I actually enjoy the challenge of figuring
out how to compose an image on the spot that isn’t exactly
what I had in mind on my way there.
By the same token, I think ever-changing environments are one of
the biggest benefits to any form of visual art. Living in New
England means we have four unique times of year, which means we
have at least four ways to capture the same scene —
especially landscapes outside the city. Being in the city, we have
the benefit of people to help add context to a scene. For example,
you might capture an image in the snow, but if you have a passerby
framed correctly in the image and that person is completely
hunkered down into their big winter jacket, then the viewer
understands how bitterly cold and windy that moment
was.
We are thrilled to have several of your photographs of Beacon
Hill hanging in our office at 66 Beacon Street. As an artist and
Beacon Hill resident, what drew you to the neighborhood?
What’s not to love about the Hill? I’ve been here for
six years now and as long as I’m living in the city, this is
where I’ll be. What drew me to it initially is the history
and how classically New England it is, but with a hint of old
Europe as well. The brick and brownstone buildings look good at any
time of year in any weather, and you have so much right at your
fingertips both in the neighborhood or within a walkable
distance.
Over time, I’ve come to realize that it really is a
neighborhood. You start to recognize people who are walking their
dogs, going for a run, or grocery shopping at the same time as you
and eventually you come to know them.
Do you have any favorite local spots?
My favorite spots on the Hill definitely vary a lot. I think my
favorite street is Cedar Lane Way because of how it’s almost
hidden in plain sight and feels like a secret cobblestone
passageway across the Hill. As a rower who spends a lot of time on
the Charles, my favorite place to walk or run is the Esplanade
— especially the stretch between Community Sailing and the
footbridge by the Hatch Shell.
My favorite bar is definitely The Sevens — talk about a local
spot! If you like darts, pretzel bites, good beer, and an awesome
staff, it’s the place for you. And a fun fact is that they
were the first pub to carry Harpoon beer, so Harpoon now brews them
an exclusive Sevens Ale. All of the restaurants on the Hill are
winners, so I don’t know if I can pick a favorite, but the
great thing is that they cover just about anything you could
want.
From the pieces in our Beacon Hill office, which is your
favorite and why?
I picked these photographs for the Beacon Hill office because I
felt that they encompass so much of what living on the Hill has to
offer. And asking a photographer to pick their favorite piece is
like asking a parent to choose their favorite child.It changes
every day!
If I had to choose one, though, I would probably say
Nor’easter with George. When I took that photograph, it was
in the middle of a huge snowstorm and I was thinking about
Washington crossing the Delaware. That statue has stood there for
years, and much like Beacon Hill it hasn’t really changed too
much in the best way. Whenever you walk through the Public Garden
you can rely on George being there to greet you no matter the
weather.
How do you approach each photoshoot?
I approach every shoot with an open mind. Of course, you have shots
that you want to get, but as I mentioned before there are all sorts
of things that can get in the way of that. By not getting hung up
on one particular type of shot, you will likely surprise yourself
with what other results you get.
Are there any specific subjects or locations in Massachusetts
or elsewhere that are on your “bucket list” to
photograph?
I actually have a map saved with locations all over New England
that I want to photograph. As a New Englander, anything that
features the coastline, the mountains, a lighthouse, or a covered
bridge is something I want to take a picture of. Here are some that
are still on my list:
- Coastline: Bald Head Cliff in Maine, World’s End in
Hingham, Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge in Rhode Island,
and the Schoodic Peninsula in Maine. - Mountains: Lake of the Clouds in New Hampshire, Step Falls
Preserve in Maine, and Underhill State Park in Vermont. - Lighthouses: Beavertail Lighthouse in Rhode Island, Annisquam
Lighthouse in Gloucester, and Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse in New
Hampshire. - Covered Bridges: Ware-Hardwick Bridge in Ware, Babb’s
Bridge in Maine, and Cornish-Windsor Bridge in New Hampshire.
Do you have any tips or advice—it could be about gear,
techniques, business or otherwise—for aspiring or novice
photographers?
I have two key pieces of advice for aspiring
photographers.
The first is to take your camera with you wherever you go. Even
if you can’t bring your big camera, our phones can be almost
as good in many situations! The key is to do this so you’re
always practicing and honing your eye. Think about unique angles of
things you see everyday or zooming in on the finer details of a
subject. The only way to get better is with repetition and being
open to feedback from anyone who is willing to give it!
There is no right or wrong way to take a photograph. It should
be your vision and you should be conveying the image in the way you
see best. Photography is incredibly subjective, so people will
always have their opinions. Don’t ever think a photo should
look one way or another. It’s yours!
To view more of his work, order prints, or get in touch,
visit www.hankschlessphoto.com or follow Hank on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok.