Documentary Portraits

One of my favorite types of images to use in a documentary project is the environmental portrait. This type of portrait shows a person in their surroundings that are important to them and reveals something about their personality and interests. My second favorite type of portrait is the facial close-up.

These tight, closely-cropped images show character. The face (especially the eyes) represent the soul of the person. Adding a close-up of a subject's face, with all its detail and characteristics, in a documentary project creates emotional appeal.

Documentary Photography Book: The Locomotive Portraits

I found a superb collection of documentary photographs in a book on the discounted sale table in my favorite book store. The Locomotive Portraits is a collection of large-format images made by Darius Kinsey in the Pacific Northwest in the early part of the 20th century.

The photographs illustrate the logging industry's steam locomotives and the men who labored on the rails and in the work camps. Photographed with the 11 x 14 large format camera, the photographs preserve the history of these men and their machines. Today's railroad men will find the photographs fascinating while photographers will note the finely detailed images that make this a fine documentary collection.

If you can find this book, it deserves a place on your bookshelf or coffee table.

Crossroads Multimedia Episode #1: Documenting a Youth Rodeo

This is the first multimedia episode for Crossroads: Where History and Photography Meet. In these episodes, we'll explore some of the history of Volusia County and Florida utilizing photography, video, audio, and music. We'll also provide tips and techniques on photography, multimedia production, and making documentaries.

Crossroads will visit with other people and organizations involved with history and preservation and include a book review or two. We may even talk about cracker cooking and food.

In this episode, we stopped in Satsuma, Florida to document a youth rodeo.

Documentary Photography Exhibit in South Florida

A new exhibit of documentary photographs by Cinderic Documentaries, Inc. will open at the Immokalee Pioneer Museum in south Florida on February 2, 2010, featuring a look at rural Floridians whose backgrounds are rooted in the past. At the Crossroads combines photographs with selected oral histories that will help the public learn more about the people, stories, and events that make up the rural community in Florida.

At the Crossroads showcases Floridians hanging on to vanishing lifestyles and livelihoods that are tucked away in forgotten rural landscapes. They continue in ways of life that are seldom seen in today’s Twitter world.

The Immokalee Pioneer Museum is part of Collier County's system of history museums. The pioneer ranch tells the story of ranching and citrus farming on Florida's frontier.

The exhibit also features oral histories that accompany some of the photographs.

“There were people who were bootleggers all their lives. They made it right here in the swamps. They got moonshine here. Regular moonshine was 50 cents a pint. Sometimes they'd have a special for 75 cents a pint. They’d find in Uncle Bill’s Special, roaches, ants, flies all in the same bottle. In some of these backwoods, country towns, you can still find bootleg liquor.” Vera Miles and Floyd Prevatt, brother and sister.

The black and white photographs depict people who still enjoy a simpler way of life. These images offer a frame by frame glimpse into the lives of those who weave the past into the fabric of the future.

Documenting Volusia's Historic Architecture

I recently watched the movie Julie and Julia and was interested in her use of blogging. What I found useful was that she had a worthwhile goal and a plan. I need that. I sometimes procrastinate and wander without having a definite plan of action.

I also watched MTVs The Buried Life last night. Interesting concept. They, too had a worthwhile plan.

So, here's mine: this year, I will attempt to photograph and document all of Volusia County's historic architecture ( those listed on the National Register), as well as Volusia County's Most Endangered Properties.

Volusia County has some unique sites. It's vital we record and document these important historic structures before it's too late and the opportunity is gone.

I will post the photos on this blog as we go.