Last December, when Ray Kennedy was home from Creighton University in Omaha visiting his parents in Woodbury for the holidays, a wintry mix arrived in downtown Stillwater.
A graduate with a focus in journalism and economics, Kennedy always has made it a point to drive or bike through Stillwater, Afton, Bayport, Hudson and Prescott, Wis., each time he’s back in the Valley, regardless of the season. “The St. Croix River Valley is undoubtedly the most beautiful area of the Twin Cities,” he says. “Many of my childhood trips to our cabin in St. Croix Falls (Wis.) and ski lessons/racing at Afton Alps brought us along the St. Croix River. Living in Woodbury—biking to downtown Afton (including a stop at the Sail Away Cafe) and to Stillwater (to Chilkoot Cafe) were necessities and great memories.”
Kennedy specializes, by trade, in sports photography and outdoor landscapes, and has shot photos for Metroland Media (Canada/National Hockey League), Creighton University Athletics/NCAA, and photos of USSA/FIS ski events—but his passion lies in architectural photography.
“I truly enjoy historic districts and destinations, notably Stillwater, Omaha’s Old Market, Minneapolis’s Mill District, Ireland’s southwest coast (particularly Dingle), and Copper Harbor, Mich.,” he says. “Each of these places has a charm to them that goes back in time, and I feel this charm is fascinating and exciting to attempt to encapsulate through modern-day photographs.”
This photo was taken in Union Alley before dawn. It was the day after Christmas, and it had snowed the previous evening, so Stillwater was quiet, with few people around. This made for an untouched blanket of snow—and further allowed for the contrasting textures of the buildings’ brick façades to be emphasized, revealing two different eras of architecture and construction.
