A Navy veteran and a graduate of Boston’s Franklin Technical Institute with a degree in photography, at 25 years old, Lowe became the Gloucester Daily Time’s first full-time staff photographer in 1957. Using a large-format Graflex Speed Graphic camera, Lowe hit the ground running. His first photograph was published just a few days after he started. It was a dramatic and award-winning photo of a hotel fire taken at 4 a.m. That was just the start. Over his career, Charlie Lowe rarely missed a breaking news photo opportunity—a major fire, a storm-tossed boat about to be grounded, even a car accident. What Lowe became best known and endeared for were his images of people in the community, going about their day-to-day lives. With his tenacity for being on the scene and skill in documenting the people of the community, Lowe soon set a standard for photojournalism at the Times that many successors cite as impactful and something they strived to meet.

Gloucester, MA 1975. Portrait of a man in a black hat

Gloucester, MA 1975. A young football player 

Gloucester, MA 1975. Dressed for wet weather

Gloucester, MA 1976. Ready for a sunny day

Gloucester, MA 1977. Processing the catch

Gloucester, MA 1978. Taking a moment during a busy workday to smile 

Gloucester, MA 1981. An artist at work

Gloucester, MA 1981. Elaine Fletcher, checking her notes as she types

Gloucester, MA 1981. Hitting a ground ball in a softball game

Gloucester, MA 1981. Beachgoers out for a jog