Bio
Kevin Harkins, a Lowell, MA native, is a graduate of the Art Institute of Boston. He has worked as an independent commercial photographer for over twenty years specializing in people, product and publicity photography. He chaired the Lowell Cultural Council for several years and is a past member of the board of directors of the Lowell Office of Cultural Affairs. He is presently past President of the New Hampshire Creative Club and remains on their board to this day.
His photographs have appeared in numerous publications and exhibitions. His clientele are throughout the New England area providing photography services for magazines such as Yankee, Cape Cod Life, Business New Hampshire Magazine along with numerous Corporate and Commercial Publications, Financial Services and Manufacturing Facilities. He resides in Londonderry, NH with his wife, Janet, and their children.
Letter to Visitors
As a photographer I tell a story - evoke an image - of a person, product or place. In shot after shot, I communicate your message - whether you're a CEO, politician or workman on the production line. If you need to describe your product be it a ballpoint pen or the latest technology widget I'm equally comfortable and effective. I can provide you the shot for your entire team. That means the whole hockey team. Forty-one bank executives. Or just the lobby of the bank.
What's more, I let you call the shots - literally. I'm not a prima donna, I'm a professional.
So I invite you to see for yourself how my images can best communicate your message. Whether it's for your scrapbook or the annual report; whether for art's sake or your bottom-line.
I'm fast, reliable and best of all, get results.
But don't let my words try to convince you. Take a visit at my web site and click on my images … and see for yourself.
Kevin Harkins,
Photographer
Press Release
For:
Kevin Harkins Photographer
P.O. Box 45
13 Gordon Dr.
Londonderry, NH 03053-0045
Contact: Kevin Harkins
603-432-9950
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Divers down! (or up, as the case may be?)
Every parent thinks his kids' antics are cute enough to make a cover shot, but in the case of professional photographer Kevin Harkins, it turned out others agreed with him. This shot of Renee, Ryan, and Patrick Harkins, titled Dive Team, is being distributed to professional photographers around the country and Canada this year as the cover of the Ilford Imaging USA Inc. brochure Delta 100 film, chosen from 19 finalists in a nationwide contest.
Known best locally for documenting the Lowell Folk Festival and Lowell National Historical Park activities, Harkins was unloading his equipment after a shoot one afternoon when he noticed his children engrossed in their scuba diving, undaunted by the fact that their pool at their home by the banks of the Merrimack River was a mere five feet wide and five inches deep.
Harkins was especially excited to learn his work was chosen for the Ilford cover because it is distributed to his peers in the industry.
"It's exciting because many celebrated photographers use Ilford photographic materials, and it's my picture on the cover," Harkins said. "It was nice to get the recognition, but this shot is also one of my favorites in my personal portfolio. If you leave life as a photographer with 10 great shots as your legacy, you're lucky, and I feel this is one of them."
Other samples of Harkins work may be seen at http://www.harkinsphotography.com.
Harkins and his wife Janet, an interior designer, recently relocated to Londonderry, NH, but Harkins still does much of his work on location in the Greater Lowell area. In addition to his work for the Park Service and Folk Festival, Harkins has shot some of the most memorable ads and brochure covers for local businesses and nonprofit groups.
One of the most unusual shoots he has had this year was a group portrait of the Enterprise Bank staff along the banks of the Merrimack River. The theme for this year's annual report for the bank was the Pawtucket Falls in Lowell. George Duncan, President of the bank, wanted a group view of all the bank's employees close to the river along the Sampus Pavilion in Lowell. Harkins needed a way to get high enough so that all faces could be seen and he could direct everyone into position. He did this by commandeering a scissors lift platform device from Soucy Construction of Lowell that allowed him to raise and lower his position for the best view. All told about 150 people were photographed for this year's annual report.
Harkins enjoys shooting the many celebrities that come to the area, most recently with Middlesex Community College. Harkins spent most of the day with last year's guest speaker Walter Cronkite by his side and did the same this year with General Colin Powell.
"I like to maintain the style of hiding like the fly on the wall as opposed to the in your face photography of a paparazzi," Harkins says. "If you don't remember me being there when I took your photo, I feel I've done my job."
Harkins also shoots for the Lowell Folk Festival Committee and the Lowell National Historical Park Service. The Lowell Folk Festival, held in the latter part of July each year, brings new musical folk and jazz artist for a three-day event on several downtown stages in Lowell MA. Harkins' job has been to document as many acts and folk artist on stage and the events that surround the downtown area of Lowell along with the local craftsman, dancers, and ethnic food booths. These images are later used for promotion of the festival and other Lowell-oriented promotions. Audrey Ambrosino Public Information Officer at the Lowell National Historical Park said "Kevin has worked with Lowell National Historical Park for many years, helping the Park to document, with high quality photography, its many exhibits, programs, and special events. Since 1993, Kevin has photographed the Park's largest special event, the Lowell Folk Festival, successfully documenting the festival's many stages, activity areas, and street parades."
One of Harkins' most luxurious and elaborate shoots recently was the Dressed for the Part: Hollywood Costumes from the Silver Screen exhibit at the American Textile History Museum. For that shoot Harkins had to literally move in to the Museum's 5th floor and set up his studio to shoot the dresses on specially made and custom-crafted mannequin stands. Dresses and gowns worn by such celebrities as Julie Andrews, Betty Davis, Jean Harlow and Gina Lollobrigida were just a few of the over 40 gowns photographed. Then for most of that month he photographed the dresses with attention to detail of their specific materials and reflectance. Karen Herbaugh curator at the museum said "Kevin worked with the American Textile History Museum to create pictures that embodied the message that we wanted to portray with the Hollywood costumes, elegance, not glitz. The subtle lighting conveyed just the mood we were looking for....a revisit to the glamour of the early years of Hollywood."
Harkins said "I enjoyed myself immensely on that shoot as I felt it was some of the best use of my studio talents. We built our studio around a room given for the task and it looked as though the room was made for the job all along. The staff at the museum is the best and I always look forward to what they have in store for my next challenge."
Not all his work is so glamorous and many times Harkins can be found shooting in some not so pleasant places. Factory warehouses in particular can bring some strange experiences. While shooting pet food packaging in a Framingham warehouse next to a pet store, Harkins had to deal with an escaped Guinea Pig that scurried repeatedly into the shot trying to sneak some of the product to its lair.
Harkins just recently completed a photo shoot with Boston Interiors, which was produced with Advertising Management Services of Andover MA along with the film production company of Cramer Associates of Norwood MA. His still photographs will be used in upcoming ads in Boston Magazine and the Boston Globe Sunday Magazine sections.
"I always look forward to doing my own personal shots," explains Harkins. "I enjoy producing images on themes and many of my regular clients receive mailings of my personal work. I produce still lifes or scenic views of some of my favorite locations, a seasonal holiday or special event I've attended. Sometimes I do the image just for fun, a personal little memento. Like the Dive Team shot. It makes all the rest worth it."