Inspiration
Various Artists
This area of my research is dedicated to lesser-known photographers I discovered in relation to road trip photography. It would seem that America’s love affair with the open road is more documented and publicised than that of the United Kingdom and the rest of the world. For the artists who Exhibited at “Along the Road” in California they could express the open road their way, its travellers, and the places seen along the way.
This image reminds me of the classic film “Rebel without a Cause.” Taken by Anthony Friedkin, the photograph was taken outside on a dirt track at the side of the road in black and white. The foreground of this image on the right depicts a slim, dark-haired young gentleman holding his head down.
He appears to be concentrating on something in his hands, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth and is dressed in a short-sleeved t-shirt and probably long trousers. His parked vehicle can be seen in the distance on the left, and a hazy cloud can be seen beyond the horizon. The subject matter is enhanced by the ruggedness of the surrounding landscape.
The images below are taken by Elliot Kaufman who has been actively shooting since the 1970s, having his book published surrounding this subject in 1979.
Both of these black and white photographs are from Elliot Kaufman’s “The American Diner” collection.
Beginning with the first image, the subject matter on the sign is easily identifiable. I feel that Kaufman could have captured the image from a little further away, allowing him more room, particularly on the right side. The lighting conditions could have been an issue, possibly as a result of the weather and snow on the ground. The foreground, like the skyline, is incredibly bright.
In comparison, the second image shows what appears to be the same American Diner in the distance, near a road. It shows that the attention is drawn to the road and the vehicle travelling on it. The road is wide in the foreground and gradually narrows as it goes into the distance, creating an amazing depth of field. This is complemented by the horizon, which transitions from dark to light.
