Painterly photos of a bygone industrial world

SHARON — Emery Roth II has had a lifelong passion for photography. When he retired from teaching six years ago, Roth began devoting himself to this passion, shooting photographic images almost every day since.Roth said he lived near Connecticut’s Naugatuck Valley for a long time, and knew nothing about it other than that it was a different world from where he worked. “About a year and a half ago I started exploring photographically what is left of its industrial past, as well as reading and learning about it.”The results are on display in the gallery of the Sharon Historical Society (SHS) until April 25. The show is titled, “Brass Valley, Made in America.” This show of Roth’s photographs is an amazing visit back in time. Even his photographs of present-day mills evoke a strong feeling of the past.Interviewed at the Historical Society building, Roth said he likes taking photographs in abandoned buildings. “I did a lot of exploring with a buddy of mine. In the process of that I was directed to what I believe is the last of the very large-scale manufacturing companies in the valley.”The building had once been American Brass and later was owned by a company called Anaconda Brass, which has two sites, one in Ansonia and one in Waterbury. Most of the photographs in this exhibit are from those two sites.“I was directed to this working factory which is just extraordinary,” Roth said. “They are using extruding equipment put into operation in the 1940s. I assume that was for the war effort. Some of the other equipment was put into operation in 1903.”A book project of Roth’s, not included in this exhibit, has photographs of the famed Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Pa. “It’s amazing that it was an operating prison from 1830 to 1970 with people living in those horrible conditions.”Roth said he maintains an almost daily blog, where he posts photographs and written comments about his images (www.rothphotos.blogspot.com).He shoots only with a digital camera. His images have a subtle painterly quality. A viewer could be forgiven for thinking some were paintings, not photographs. Roth said he works long hours on his computer, making many digital adjustments to his images to get them to look just the way he wants.When asked what motivates him, Roth replied, “I enjoy doing it. I enjoy getting out. I guess I am a loner and like the whole act of photography as a concentrated personal thing.” The photographer added he likes just wandering about seeking out new images waiting to be photographed. Roth said he made a conscious decision to explore and learn about the Naugatuck Valley. “Photography is one way of learning but I also like to read. I am a time traveler. I could imagine going back in time to these old places.”The Sharon Historical Society is located in the Gay-Hoyt House, 18 Main St., at the south end of the town Green. It is open Wednesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information call 860-364-5688 or visit www.sharonhist.org.

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