Photography Atelier

Laura Jolly

Admirals Hill, Chelsea MA

Chelsea, Massachusetts is the second most densely populated city in Massachusetts, second only to Somerville. The city’s urban fabric consists of two and three story buildings in tightly knit neighborhoods with corner convenience stores. Walking around these neighborhoods people can easily be seen relaxing on their front porches or steps, traversing to and from work, heading to the laundromat, or heading in for a hair cut. The close proximity to one another makes Admirals Hill in Chelsea a welcome haven.

This peaceful green open space sits on the south side of Chelsea next to the Mystic and Chelsea Rivers. Gentle waves lapping from the rivers, leaves lightly rustling overhead and people and pets strolling by fill the space with sounds of calmness. In the background there is a low hum of traffic overhead along the Tobin Bridge, serving as a subtle reminder of the close proximity of urban life.

I was drawn into this place for its serenity and I began to photograph the people here enjoying a break from their busy lives. People can be found here connecting with nature, with friends and family, or sometimes just enjoying a moment of solitude. Spending time here enjoying this open space and taking photographs showed me how truly important these connections are for urban dwellers.

Artist Bio

Laura Jolly is a Boston-based photographer who enjoys capturing the distinct differences or similarities that define the human experience. Laura grew up in the Midwest and she left in her early twenties to travel extensively. It was during this time that Laura began to learn about different peoples’ lives and lifestyles, and she began to hone her photography skills capturing these people.

Her images take the viewer through diverse cultural journeys across the globe, and she focuses on day-to-day activities to show how people everywhere share the same basic life struggles and celebrations. She loves to reveal the extraordinary in the everyday moments.

For Laura, the similarities and differences in the human experience serve as a constant source of inspiration for her artistically. She marvels at our diversity and takes comfort in our commonality.

She is currently a photojournalist for the Advocate Newspaper, photographing events on Boston’s North Shore throughout Lynnfield, Peabody, Saugus, Malden and Everett.

Contact Laura Jolly