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These are images that I have made while on walks. Some may eventually become a new series. For now, they are my visual notebook.

Series

The Alleys series documents a lesser-known casualty of the construction boom in Seattle—alleyways. While they often carry a negative reputation, they are an integral part of the urban landscape. This project began in 2013.

Collections are photographs made in Anaheim, San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and England from 2008-2012.

Family, Friends, and Strangers are photos made in the early to mid-’70s Amusement attractions, holidays, gatherings, and CalArts were all places where I documented the people that I found there. 

The Drive-Ins series photos were made in 1973. Shot in Southern California, this was the beginning of other documentation projects to follow. Drive-in theaters were on their way out in the early ‘70s. The land they were on became worth more than the money they brought in and many were torn down to build housing subdivisions and strip malls.

The Hikes series is an ongoing project documenting hiking trails in Western Washington. These include urban trails, city, state, and national parks.

Trainviews are point-of-view photographs made from a commuter train running along the Puget Sound from Mukilteo to Seattle [2013-2017]. 

Truckviews were made in 1975 while driving a 26-foot bobtail truck from North Hollywood to Santa Maria, CA to deliver office furniture.

Bio
Steve Weir’s passion for photography began more than 50 years ago. As an undergrad student at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), Steve developed his skills in communication design and photography. Here, he honed in on documentation imagery and further refined his style as part of his MFA program at CalArts. Projects included “Homes of the Stars” and “California Historical Landmarks.” Steve went on to work at higher education institutions including CalArts, Art Center College of Design, and Antioch University, holding senior positions in student services, enrollment management, IT, communications, and marketing. 
 
As photography has entered the digital age, Steve has evolved his image style to capture candid moments from everyday life. His most recent publication, New Views of CalArts – “A Fiftieth Anniversary Field Guide” View of Cal Arts, is a book of photographs made in April 2023, looking at how the CalArts campus had changed in the last fifty years. This is a follow-up to A View of CalArts published in 2021, a collection of photographs he made while a student at CalArts in the early 1970s. The images include students, friends, faculty, colleagues, and campus locations.
 
His work has been exhibited at various institutions including the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the Maryland Institute, College of Art, and the University of Southern California.
 
Education

1978 MFA California Institute of the Arts – School of Art-Photography

1973 BFA California Institute of the Arts – School of Design

 

Comments can be sent to steve@steveweir.com

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