In my deliberations as to how to tell a Nantucket story, there were some key associations of the island that I knew I needed to incorporate. One was always going to be its storied maritime past, and in particular its leading position in the whaling industry. Then there are certain features on the island that if included in an image would reinforce a sense of place - such as Nantucket Grey buildings and of course the lighthouses.
But in our production meetings in the run up to the assignment, there was one feature I kept on requesting that we prioritised - the cobbled streets. When I think of Nantucket, I think of the cobbles - particularly on Main Street - not only because of their aesthetic appeal, but also because they tell a story of the island’s British roots. Nantucket shipped whale oil to England and the boats returned with cobbles.
It is on Main Street that the cobbles are most expansive and in the early morning light, I noticed that they would ping a little. This was the starting point for me to build a story and I threw some ideas around in my head. The key was that we had to work at dawn and just hope there were no cars on the street. The earlier we shot, the more visually effective artificial lighting such as lamps would become.
The end result is pleasing. The high street looks timeless, the girls look tipsy and the fishermen look happy. The cobbles ping a little and there is not a car in sight. Well done Kate Bock and Brooks Nader for giving two Nantucket salty dogs one hell of a morning stroll.
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