25. David Plowden: Vanishing Point, Fifty Years of Photography by David Plowden (4.5/5)
Steam trains, bridges, barns, grain elevators, steel mills, hardware and general store interiors, small towns, people's homes, and more from 1955 to 2005, records of a vanishing (or long since gone) America. Naturally lit subject matter that is with few exceptions precisely what appeals to my own photographic eye. The main difference is that his black and white images exist almost exclusively in square frames. I think mostly in rectangles which makes his compositions all the more impressive to me. Most of his shots wouldn't work at all if they weren't square.
The hefty book has about 300 plates, with 1 photo per page, each with a small caption detailing what, where, and when the photo was taken. Love that.
The "Photographer's Notes" describe his life in photography and are full of the sorts of technical details that fascinate me. (Despite all the "new and improved" film stocks on the market, he finds them to be of lesser quality than the older discontinued stocks. I couldn't agree more!)
The chronology gives an excellent outline of the progress and development of his career- well worth reading. I was so intrigued by his photos and charmed by his writing that I went back to the book's beginning even though I am not a fan of introductions in art books and generally skip them. Steve Edwards's introductory essay is an informative and entertaining read full of quotes from Plowden that enhances the rest of the book.
Two years ago on TTaT: Dipping a toe in
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