Central Whidbey Resident Roddy Blelloch's Ferry Photographs Now On Display

Roddy Blelloch, a Coupeville resident known on Central Whidbey for his ferry photography, has a collection of black-and-white images currently on display at the Bellevue Leica store through the end of February. The exhibit includes candid scenes of passengers and vessel form, with one image captioned “Three generations of a family look out the ferry window.” Photo credit lines on the display read “Photo by Roddy Blelloch.”

Blelloch traces his ferry interest to early rides on North Carolina routes that “traveled from the inner to the outer banks of North Carolina, carrying just a few cars.” Since moving to Whidbey four years ago, he writes and photographs with a growing familiarity with the state ferry system and its “massive vessels.” He describes the boats as more than transport: “The ferries, for me, were a very romantic way of getting to and fro,” and adds, “I’ve absolutely loved them since I’ve been on them the first time.”

The Bellevue Leica installation grew out of a recent photography workshop Blelloch attended, led by Greg Hatton, described by organizers as a well-known Leica shooter from Los Angeles. The workshop was hosted in conjunction with Photographic Center Northwest, a Seattle photography school. Participants at the workshop reviewed each other’s works and chose favorites to be displayed in the store; Blelloch’s ferry images were among those selected for the retail exhibit.

Visually, the show emphasizes tonal contrast and human moments aboard ferry crossings. Several display panels carry the caption “Black-and-white photography shows the contrast on the ferry.” Blelloch’s work focuses on passenger interaction and quiet routines; he observes, “I have never seen a grumpy person on the ferry,” and notes that “People sit, they play games, they interact. It’s probably the one place you find fewer people on their cell phones.” Those social details figure prominently in the prints now mounted at the Bellevue Leica space.

The exhibit appears alongside other recent local reporting about Coupeville-area infrastructure and incidents. A nearby dock replacement on Coupeville Wharf was reported to have cost about $600,000 and took four days of work. Separately, firefighters from Central Whidbey Island Fire and Rescue responded to a Harrington Road garage fire around 1 p.m.; Deputy Chief James Meek said a neighbor used a garden hose to attack the blaze and offered “A huge thanks to the neighbor.” The fire was linked to an older vehicle whose exhaust ignited nearby cardboard, resulting in minor garage damage and no loss to the attached house.

For exhibit hours, print availability, and purchasing details, contact the Bellevue Leica store or the photographer directly. Have you seen Blelloch’s ferry images at Bellevue Leica or on a Whidbey crossing? Tell us what stood out in the comments.