Vermont photographer Jack Rowell is preparing to release what his publisher calls his "magnum opus" – a comprehensive 121-page photography book showcasing his favorite images from a distinguished 55-year career. The project, which took three years to compile, represents Rowell's effort to archive and preserve his life's work as a cultural documentarian of Vermont life.
"It gave me an opportunity to archive what I've done for the past 55 years, which I never would've done," Rowell explained. "It's my legacy, and I hope people like it." The coffee table-style book, titled "Jack Rowell Photographs," will be released on November 22 through Korongo Books, a local publishing company owned by Sara Tucker.
Tucker, who attended high school with Rowell and has built their professional relationship on decades of friendship, sees the book as an important documentation of Vermont's cultural heritage. "He calls himself a cultural documentarian. He says it a bit tongue-in-cheek, but that is really what he is," Tucker said. "As a photographer, he has documented and preserved part of Vermont culture."
The publisher emphasized the significance of Rowell's perspective on Vermont life over the past five decades. "I think it's important for individuals to give us their perspective on a given period of time and place," Tucker noted. "His perspective on the 50 years that he's been largely a documentary photographer is an important part of our story. So in sharing it, he's sharing a part of our common heritage, and it's important to capture that and preserve it."
One of the book's most striking images serves as its cover photo: "Man on the Midway," taken at the Tunbridge Fair in 1973. The photograph captures a man with one hand in his coat pocket, a cigarette hanging from his mouth, and intense eyes marked by lines from sun and hard work – characteristics Rowell identifies as trademarks of Vermont life. The image nearly didn't make it into the book due to damage suffered when Rowell accidentally stepped on the negative, creating gouges that removed the emulsion entirely.
"Somehow I knocked that negative onto the floor and stepped on it, and it had these huge gouges. I mean, the emulsion was literally gone. It was just black," Rowell recalled. Only with the advent of Photoshop was he able to repair the damage and preserve what he calls "a very powerful image." The photo was the last shot on a hand-rolled film roll, and slight white exposure marks are still visible where the film attached to the cassette.
Rowell's approach to photography centers on capturing the essence of his subjects, particularly through their eyes. "Remember, the eyes are the key," he emphasized, a philosophy evident throughout his work. This technique is particularly striking in his documentation of faces, where he demonstrates an ability to share detailed stories about every person featured in his book.
During the 1990s, Rowell expanded his role in Vermont's cultural scene by serving as associate producer on "Man With a Plan," John O'Brien's 1996 film about Fred Tuttle, a Tunbridge farmer who made a fictional run for U.S. Congress. Tuttle occupies significant space in Rowell's book, including an image taken in front of the U.S. Capitol building that eventually became the movie poster.
"We went to D.C., and we did it just in time too, because they replaced parts of the dome after that, and the Capitol was shrouded," Rowell remembered, pointing to the white dome behind Tuttle in the photograph. "I posed Fred on a knoll in front of the Capitol, and I had some trouble dealing with light, because it was sunny out, but then it got a little overcast." Following the film's release, Tuttle actually ran for U.S. Congress, with Rowell continuing to document his campaign, including assignments for People Magazine. Tuttle ultimately endorsed incumbent Patrick Leahy and lost the race.
The photographer's personal journey reflects broader changes in his artistic approach. Growing up in Groton and later moving to Randolph for high school, Rowell overcame struggles with heavy drinking and smoking, giving up both vices decades ago. This personal transformation coincided with a shift in his photography style, as he began focusing more on studio work later in his career.
Rowell operates a small studio in Randolph, and the latter half of his book features many photos taken there and in nearby studios. He credits his sobriety with improving his photographic focus, noting that many of his sharper, more concentrated shots represent that period of his life. Despite his artistic evolution, Rowell maintains a consistent philosophy about his preferred subjects, stating with characteristic humor: "My favorite things to photograph, that would have to be big fish and good looking women."
The photographs in "Jack Rowell Photographs" span from 1973 to 2025, showcasing the full arc of his career. Among his earliest works is an image of two laughing men perched on the back of a garbage truck, taken in Braintree when Rowell was just 18 years old. The book's most recent photograph was captured in May 2025, featuring Mary Frances Leahy playing fiddle at the Chandler Music Hall.
The image of Leahy, the 19-year-old daughter of renowned Celtic fiddler Natalie MacMaster (whom Rowell has photographed extensively), demonstrates his continued mastery of capturing decisive moments. In the photograph, Leahy stretches across the frame with her right arm extended from her fiddle, the bow blurred in motion as she draws it away from the strings. Her body appears angled in a triumphant bow while maintaining a gentle smile and eye contact with her audience, embodying Rowell's principle that "the eyes are the key."
Tucker ensured that the book's production remained as local as possible, finding a printer in Lewiston, Maine, to support the regional publishing ecosystem. The books are currently available for pre-order at $85 each through the end of the year, with Tucker emphasizing Rowell's generous nature both as a person and photographer.
"Photography is Jack's thing. It defines him, but he's also incredibly generous as a person and as a photographer. It's all one thing, meaning his art, his photography, really does serve the community," Tucker observed. "The people he's interested in are people who are doing an outstanding job at something, or they're just very intriguing interesting people who have caught his attention. And so his instinct is to tell the world about what he finds valuable, and to me, that's a very generous act, and he does a beautiful job."
The White River Craft Center in Randolph will host a launch party for "Jack Rowell Photographs" on November 22 from 2-5 p.m. Pre-ordered books will be available for pickup at the event, where attendees can have their copies signed by Rowell himself, marking the culmination of a five-decade journey documenting Vermont's people and culture.
