Alvin Comiter

| Vagabond

“My walking is of two kinds: one, straight on end to a definite goal at a round pace; one, objectless, loitering and purely vagabond. In the latter state, no gipsy on earth is a greater vagabond than myself; it is so natural to me, and strong with me, that I think I must be the descendant, at no great distance, of some irreclaimable tramp.”
— The Uncommercial Traveler, Charles Dickens

“Vagabond” and “The Early Years” bookend almost five decades of walking and photographing.  City streets and parks still offer the best surprises. Though a simple description of a curious thing in a soft light might still make the cut, now it’s almost always the messy pictures taken in harsh sunlight that look right.

I want the photographs to be carefully composed but full of stuff that’s out of my control; preoccupied with formal concerns but anchored to a real place and time; reminiscent of pictures by other photographers yet somehow my own invention; sunny and grim; dumb and smart—each picture trying to be, at the same time, a snapshot, a record, an editorial, a lesson, a eulogy, a joke and a poem.

You can press the “Play” button to activate the slide show, or you can browse the images using the left/right arrows on the screen or keyboard.  Clicking on “Alvin Comiter” in the title bar will take you back to the home page where you can select other projects.  If you’re using a touch screen you can swipe to the next picture. 

All photographs: Copyright © 1970-2020 Alvin Comiter

Orlando, Florida

Orlando, Florida

Paris

Paris

Ottawa, Ontario

Ottawa, Ontario

Orlando, Florida

Orlando, Florida

Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Paris

Paris

Paris

Paris

Marseilles, France

Marseilles, France

Lucca, Italy

Lucca, Italy

Bordeaux, France

Bordeaux, France

Paris Catacombs

Paris Catacombs

Site of Daguerre's Paris Studio

Site of Daguerre's Paris Studio

Vegi, Italy

Vegi, Italy

Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Paris

Paris

Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, Nova Scotia

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

Eiffel Tower, Paris

Eiffel Tower, Paris

Bois de Boulogne, Paris

Bois de Boulogne, Paris

Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Orlando, Florida

Orlando, Florida

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Halifax, Nova Scotia

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

Toronto, Ontario

Toronto, Ontario

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Lyon, France

Lyon, France

Lyon, France

Lyon, France

Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn, New York

Notre Dame, Paris

Notre Dame, Paris

Paris

Paris

Ottawa, Ontario

Ottawa, Ontario

Chalon-Sur-Saone, France

Chalon-Sur-Saone, France

Chalon-Sur-Saone, France

Chalon-Sur-Saone, France

Paris

Paris

Paris

Paris

Pork Hole, Duncan's Cove, Nova Scotia

Pork Hole, Duncan's Cove, Nova Scotia

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

Public Gardens, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Public Gardens, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Paris

Paris

Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Peace Tower, Ottawa, Ontario

Peace Tower, Ottawa, Ontario

Chalon-Sur-Saone, France

Chalon-Sur-Saone, France

Paris

Paris

Bordeaux, France

Bordeaux, France

Paris

Paris

Paris

Paris

New York City

New York City

Paris

Paris

Paris

Paris

Corsica, France

Corsica, France

Jardin des Plantes, Paris

Jardin des Plantes, Paris

Marseilles, France

Marseilles, France

Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Paris

Paris

Montreal, Quebec

Montreal, Quebec