Cuban born Carlos Loret de Mola began his most recent body of work, “Being Upstate,” in 2006 after moving to Hudson, simultaneously tackling an exploration of surroundings and embarking on a very personal inquiry of self.

Loret de Mola photographs the people and situations around him as a way to find a place for himself within a setting. Even when he photographs other residents of Hudson, the images are not so much about the person in the image but how that person reacts to Loret de Mola. Often, this translates into a peculiar stare back into the camera. All the photos in “Being Upstate” are ultimately self-portraits of an immigrant trying to assimilate into rural American life.

But when Loret de Mola photographs himself, the sense of an outsider looking in is completely forgotten. His self-portraits are unapologetically open. In one shot, Loret de Mola stands naked in the shower staring point blank into the camera, as if to say, “Here it is, this is me, take it or leave it.” The viewer goes to the doctor with him, sees him in his robe and slippers, watches him scratch his head in angst. This willingness to offer everything up may be Loret de Mola’s way to cope with the feelings of being on the outside, and try to understand and fit in within a new way of life.

Carlos Loret de Mola’s exhibition “Being Upstate,” will be on display through May 30 at the Center for Photography at Woodstock. (845) 679-6337; www.cpw.org.
Portfolio: www.carlosloretdemola.com.