For James “Jim” Mahoney, landing a job as a staff photographer at the Gloucester Daily Times in the fall of 1981 was a dream come true. Mahoney was just 23 years old and less than a year out of University of Massachusetts, Amherst, but he had already demonstrated his skills as a photographer at the Greenfield, MA, Recorder. During his two-year tenure at the Times, Mahoney maintained the high standards set by photographer Charlie Lowe. Building on Lowe’s legacy, Mahoney’s photographs record more than just a moment in time, they capture the emotion, grit, and determination of Cape Ann residents. In late 1983 he was hired by the Boston Herald, where he would stay for over 36 years.

Gloucester, MA 1981. Youngsters bundled up for a chilly day trying their luck fishing in the Annisquam River. 

Rockport, MA 1982. A bass player's fingers are a blur as he plays during a concert in Rockport.

Gloucester, MA 1982. View through a window on a rainy day.

Rockport, MA 1982. Construction workers get their whole bodies into their jackhammers as they work on a road project on Granite St.

Rockport, MA 1982. Foundry workers in Rockport work as afternoon sun streaks through the building. 

Gloucester, MA 1983. A man's sillhouette against Gloucester Harbor.

Gloucester, MA 1983. Marina.

Gloucester, MA June 1983. Church tent, Stage Fort Park.

Manchester, MA 1983. Mark Alexander, a chimney sweep of Gloucester, prepares to clean a chimney on a building in Manchester. 

Gloucester, MA 1983. Seafood district local union strikers.