Troy House is an established travel photographer with a career 30 years strong. He has circled the globe, yet he has chosen to plant his photographer’s flag on our beach. Now he presents us with Fire Island from Above, a one-of-a-kind website dedicated to the bird’s eye view of every community on Fire Island.
If you think this is drone photography, guess again. These aerial views are taken the old-fashioned way – with his camera in hand aboard a helicopter – and that’s why the results are so stunning.
“You can go higher than drones,” said House in explaining his approach during our Zoom chat while he was shooting on location in Italy.
Fair enough, but why Fire Island and why from above?
“I discovered Fire Island while visiting friends in Saltaire,” he explained. “I fell in love with it, but couldn’t find my viewpoint until I went up in the air. I love the groups of people on the beach forming juxtaposing shapes. This project is a love letter to my favorite place.”
Born and raised in the Midwestern state of Iowa, Troy was already setting himself apart at a young age. For one thing he got himself thrown off the staff of his high school year book, so he began contributing photographs to the town’s local newspaper instead, and shortly after he was freelancing for the Associated Press.
What is remarkable to this editor is that the Fire Island communities look just as distinct from up above as they do on the ground. An aerial view of Ocean Beach or Robert Moses does not at all look like Cherry Grove or Fair Harbor – the identity stays intact. Yet Troy also reminded me that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
“I always think of Fire Islanders as one,” said House. “You know I thought I knew Fire Island pretty well, but every flight up I learn there is something new to discover.”
To see more go to www.fireislandfromabove.com.
