The Story Behind The Image(s); Tiny Firth, The Linda J and My Fujifilm X-T2

The "Linda J" pulling into to Messick Point at the end of the crabbing day. (click to enlarge)

All images made with the Fujifilm X-T1 and the Fujifilm 16-55mm f/2.8 lens @ ISO 200;

40mm; 1/420th sec. @ f/8; ISO 200

Meet "Tiny" Firth.  If you look very closely at the image above, you'll see him inside the cabin of his Chesapeake Bay "deadrise" work boat, the Linda J.  In that image Tiny is pulling his boat into a small inlet at Messick Point, locally known as Bull Island.  Bull Island's official name is Poquoson, Virginia, which sits on the western shore close to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.  Tiny is a lifelong resident of Bull Island and lives not far away from where he moors his vessel.  

Tiny Firth at the "rear" helm. 55mm; 1/50th @ f/8 (click to enlarge)

A friend and I were out photographing on Saturday and had the pleasure of meeting Tiny.  Pure serendipity—an unexpected pleasant find.  Tiny, whose given name is Dwaine, is a very colorful character.  He is a very friendly and open man willing to share his story with a couple of strangers.  During the time we talked, he also allowed us to board his craft and make some images. Did I mention he was also kind and generous?

A seasoned waterman who depends on his boat to feed his family, I believe that Tiny takes better care of his boat than himself!  The years of long hours and grueling hard work out in the open water along with the effects of the harsh wind have taken its toll and manifests itself as clear lines of experience etched into his face.  Most of his teeth are missing, but he still manages to speak clearly enough to be understood.  Tiny is 78 years old and has no plans to retire.  He has been a waterman for 58 of those years.  That tells me he has a dedication to the work he so dearly loves.  

55mm; 1/80th. @ f/8 (click to enlarge)

Tiny is the master of the Linda J.  He inherited his deadrise from his father, the late Nelson "Doc" Firth, who also worked as a waterman his whole life until he passed away at age 91 in 2013.  Tiny has no idea as to how the Linda J acquired her name or why his father named her that.  For almost six decades, Tiny has kept that name, I suspect, partially to honor her past.  She looks as though she is sturdily built and very seaworthy.  I can't imagine all the stories she could tell if she were able.

Tiny says he is up at 3 a.m. and out on the water by 4:30.  He has to get out early to check his crab pots, empty them and get them back into the water quickly.  He then has to hustle to get his catch back to the dock and unloaded so he can sell the crabs to individuals and restaurants to be served for lunch and dinner the same day.  Talk about fresh!  Summer, winter, good weather and bad;  everyday out on the water working.  Not a life I would choose but I'm glad men like Tiny did.

45mm; 1/280th @ f/8; (click to enlarge)

According to Tiny, the Linda J was built in Deltaville, Virginia around 1946 or so.  Deltaville was and remains a mainstay in the construction of deadrise work boats.  Tiny told us his dad paid $800 for her.  Being that she is the source of his income, Tiny takes good care of his boat.  He said he has her hull scraped regularly, has her painted at least once per year and her name re-lettered every two years.  One unusual aspect of the LInda J is that her stern is rounded.  I've seen very few deadrise work boats with a rounded stern.  Almost all are straight across the stern, called a box stern.  The roundness, in my mind, gives the Linda J a bit of a softness to match "her" name.

A deadrise is unique to the Chesapeake Bay region of mid-Atlantic United States.  At the bow, it has a V-shaped hull which the angle then flattens out as you move aft to the stern.  The term "deadrise" refers to the straight line profile (angle) of the bottom as it runs from the keel or transom to the sideboards.  Primarily made of wood, these boats also have a small cabin toward the bow.  Most of the cabins are simple and sparse, only containing essential items for work and safety.  No luxuries. These boats are used for crabbing, oystering, fishing as well as catching eels.  I've also seen modified versions of this design used for pleasure craft.

Unusual rounded stern; 40mm; 1/250th @ f/11 (click to enlarge)

After spending some time talking with Tiny and boarding his boat to make some additional images, he took us across the small peninsula to the back of a nearby seafood restaurant.  There he showed us where he and others unload their catch and how the crabs are stored until either sold or steamed.  He then took us inside the back of the building and showed us the the crabs in their holding tanks as well as the large commercial steamer.  Seafood as fresh as it gets.

A very simple and unadorned cabin.  A wheel, radio, spotlight handle, throttle and dome light (click to enlarge)

29mm; 1/250th @ f/11

Thank you, Tiny, for your openness and generosity in sharing with us.  Thank you for making my day.

39mm; 1/40th sec. @ f/11 (click to enlarge)

Funny thing about this story.  I've been photographing at and around Messick Point for 20 years, have photographed the Linda J at least 50 times, but never have I had the chance to meet her master.  Serendipity.  An unexpected pleasant find.  Yep, that is Tiny.

Perforated containers full of blue crabs getting ready for the steamer. 27mm; 1/750th sec. @ f/5.6 (click to enlarge)

Unexpectedly meeting Tiny and learning his story is one of the reasons I find being out wandering with my camera such a fulfilling endeavor.  I may never have met this colorful character nor learned of his 58 years of toil if I wasn't involved with my craft.

Ready for steaming; ISO 5000; 41mm; 1/60th sec. @ f/5 (click to enlarge)

Landscapes, nature and wildlife might be subjects worth photographing, but adding a human element gives a story something special.  Connections to others are made and stories are told.  Photographing and making memories.  Doesn't get much better than that!

The Linda J and Andrea Dee moored side-by-side (click to enlarge)
44mm; 1/50th sec. @ f/11; ISO 200

Just a word about capturing this story with my Fujifilm X-T2.  From bright sunlight, to recovering lots of detail in very dark shadows to using ISO 5000 for the low light I encountered, the ease of using the X-T2 in fast moving situations was a pleasure.  I never had to think to find the controls I needed to change quickly.  No fumbling or even jumping into a menu.  Everything I needed to change was on a dial and immediately accessible.  Additionally, I am very pleased with the images I made.  I love the color palate, textures, exposure latitude and detail.  Using my X-T2 made a good story even more memorable because the tools I chose just added to my experience.

Thanks for looking. Enjoy! 

Dennis A. Mook 

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