Wendy Erickson

So many photographers were given the opportunity to work with the National Park Service in 1983 and 1987/89  The project was directed by Klaus Schnitzer of Montclair State University, and included photographers who were alumni of the photo program at the school (I was a product of that photo program and received a BA in Fine Art there.) The project culminated in a book published by Aperture (Ellis Island Echoes of a Nation's Past) and a traveling exhibition. I was one of the photographers and it was a wonderful experience.  We spent many hours exploring the three "islands" making photographs and new friends. The early visits were when I first started working with Polaroid Polachrome film and also used my Diana cameras and transparency films. During the later visits, I worked in medium format color, using very long exposures in extreme low light levels, pushing transparency film to its limits. I printed my work from this time period onto ILFOCHROME materials and the images are still beautifully crisp and colorful. Working at Ellis Island is where I got deeply interested in working on projects that had historic significance - a theme that still runs through my current work. The Ellis Island book is still available - you can find it at: amazon.com