Whether by train, bus, bike, foot, car, or longboard, there’s nothing like a slug through Kenmore Square. In normal times, it’s one of our most gloriously congested regional arteries—parking-wise, people-wise, excitement-wise.
In a city known for unique infrastructure that makes for treacherous navigation, the stretch between the BU Bridge and Mass Ave is incomparable—from college students drifting in from Allston and the Longwood area, to tourists coming from Newbury Street to spy the bank and ballpark where heists in The Town went down, to everybody coming in from everywhere in the hours before, during, and after Sox games.
Sadly, that vibrance has disappeared during the COVID-19 crisis. Since we hope and assume that most of you aren’t crisscrossing the region blight-seeing, we asked Derek Kouyoumjian to share some of his photos from out in the wild. Thanks to his array of lenses, he didn’t have to go within 25 feet of anyone. -Dig Editors
This photo feature is syndicated by the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism’s Pandemic Democracy Project. Contact pdp@binjonline.org for more information.
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A native of Dorchester living in Somerville, Derek Kouyoumjian is one of the most active and creatively agile photographers in Greater Boston. Having shot everything from breaking news, to portraits, to food and nightlife for publications including the Boston Phoenix, Boston Business Journal, Boston Magazine, and the Boston Metro, for which he regularly snaps cover photos, Derek’s versatile eye is complemented by his immense knowledge of the cityscapes and people of Mass. He also shoots abroad, including recent trips to the United Arab Emirates and Cuba, and has worked with private clients including the Gardner Museum and Huntington Theatre Company.
