How’s that for an oxymoronic headline?
As regular readers know, I am very much into photography, especially with unusual approaches. The Denver Post (via Brandon) has met my lofty criteria with a series of Depression-era photographs – specifically, 1939-1945. Although these were taken at the tail end (or slightly after) of what is typically considered the Great Depression, these certainly capture the era’s impact on rural America.
The color and “high definition” of these photographs were striking to me. The abundance of black and white photo and film from earlier times has created a permanent fog in our perception. Images of the early 20th century (and before) tend to have an “old-timey” feel. People and landscapes appear conceptual – it is hard to imagine that black and white people in old fashioned clothes saw blue skies, lived typical lives and went through many of the same things we do today.
The Post series helps change all that. We see an America beginning to modernize, but still very much in development. Bustling cities appear alongside home-made log cabins. It’s hard to imagine that this was only 70 years ago – a time with no internet, let alone television, or even widespread rural electricity.
It’s pretty cool to see this time in such a clear and realistic way. Worth checking out the whole set. Plus, they are all on one page – no annoying slide show.
