This photo was part of a documentary series that I did in the mid-1980s on the shad fishermen in the Hudson River, within 100 kms. of New York City.
Every spring, shad swim up the Hudson to spawn, and men in small boats net them. The shad is a bony fish in the herring family that is mostly valued for the egg sacs of the female.

I am a photographer, writer and educator, and I am particularly interested in documenting little known and vanishing trades and crafts. Recently, I have become interested in the people who live and work aboard the commercial
motorized barges (peniches) in the canals of France. I would like to document every aspect of life on and around the canals of France: loading and unloading, navigation, canal boat social life, repairs, etc.

Other documentary projects have taken me to Cuba, Mexico, Ireland and various parts of the U.S. I work very simply, with black and white still cameras and notebooks to record my interviews. My work has appeared in various publications, has been exhibited at museums and galleries, and can  be found on the Internet.

I come by my interest in the canals and the people who live and work on them naturally. My father was a radio officer on merchant ships who also repaired the electronic equipment on fishing boats. I grew up around boats and people whose living depended on the sea.
In my "real life," I supervise immigrant education programs for the City of New York. My work takes me to neighborhoods all over the city, and I often take a camera with me.

I hope to begin my project on "les peniches" this July, with an exploratory trip to France. I would be grateful for any advice or assistance that members of the Association could give me.