People of the Bay by Mike Nalley

I came to St. George Island 18 years ago to reclaim my love of photography.

I have come to love the people around Apalachicola Bay, the oystermen, fishermen, shrimpers and the ones who are just surviving. They have all become my friends.

Apalachicola Bay has always clung to the old ways of tonging oysters by hand from the bay. It has always been a rough way of life, but they love it. Oysters have fluctuated from an average of 20 bags a day in 2010 to about 2 bags a day in 2017.. The Bay closed in 2018 due to a lack of harvestable oysters. I hope these friends continue on even if in another area. They will survive.

These photographs are a collection spanning 12 years of my own exploration of the people and the way they live. I have been on the water with them, in their homes and just hanging at the beach. There are many who are no longer with us and some who may pass soon. I have a really strong kinship for them and hope their lifestyle goes on forever.

^{Top left: Portrait of Mike Nalley © Patrick Henrickson}






Mike Nalley
Mike has been photographing since 1974 where it all started as a hobby. He studied photography at the Art Institute of Atlanta where he has an Associate Degree in Photography. He owned and operated a studio in Marietta, GA until 1985 when life got the best of his photography work.

Mike became active again in the art world in 2006 when the urge to photograph grabbed him once again. He has worked prolifically in digital ever since. He spent 12 years documenting the oyster and fishing culture in the Apalachicola Bay area of Florida. Over the years he has made some wonderful friends and made some great photographs of the oystermen and women, fishermen and seafood workers in the area.

Mike has won many awards over the years. He has exhibited all over the Southeast and can be found most days rambling with his camera in hand in search of that one more subject.

Documenting the human race, one subject at a time!
www.oldmanscamera.com
@mikenalleyphoto