Jack of All Trades

          The theme of this series revolves around the character of “the worker” and how they spend their time. Based on people who I have met and worked with in my blue collar jobs, they are meant to be an average of all tradespeople in the United States. This series is meant to pay homage to The United States hard working past, and it’s less mentioned hard working present. The mid to late 1900s are often regarded as the United States “golden years” for industry and workforce. With these photographs, I argue that United States industry is the same as it has been for the past 70 years but it is not talked about due to the demographics of those who now work in the blue collar sector.. I wanted the images to have no indication of what decade they were taken, they could be from anytime 1960 to the present. 

​

          I was Inspired by Artists like Aaron Siskind for his stark black and white style and ability to capture texture, Lee Friedlander and his portrayal of self through shadows, and Tseng Kwong Chi’s take on landmark photography. A lone person can be seen in some of the photos, giving a sense of scale and grandeur to the often towering structures. The figure is always alone in the shots, speaking to the loneliness of the Americana Aesthetic. The defining features of the person are also obscured, giving the viewer a chance to imagine themselves as the figure.

​

          All Photographs were taken with a Sony A7 full frame camera, which is capable of capturing small details and textures. The aspect ratio of the landscape oriented photos is in 16:9, making them feel cinematic, reminiscent of B roll from a film. Photos oriented vertically are in a 2:3 aspect ratio to avoid the modern connotation of long vertical photos taken with mobile phones.