Vintage Morning Journal Portrait Series #4

This is one of the more simple images of the bunch. This tight shot of some kind of cowboy? What is he doing? What could this story have been about? The only thing that I know is that this man looks like a hardworking, middle-class midwestern man.

The perfect example of what Lorain County stands for and is comprised of still to this day. I notice these characteristics in friends, my family, my peers & all of their families. It seems that one thing that we all have in common is a drive to work & create. I see so many hardworking people develop in the Lorain County area, people with passion and desire. People who work, no matter how hard, to get what they want.  I think that these core values are spread across the Rust Belt & through the peoples who were or are still part of the manufacturing industry in its hay day.

This image, while only being a simple headshot,  still shows many fundamental parts of photography that in part make it an interesting photograph. The diagonal lines of the cowboys posture and shoulder help move your eyes throughout the image. The circular shape of the cowboy hat frames the subjects face in a way that you almost can’t even look away from it. The contrast of the darks in the hat juxtaposed by the whites in the foreground also help to bring attention to the face of the cowboy. 

The implied line from the gaze leaves me wondering, “what is happening in the distance?” Does it apply to the story that accompanied the picture? What causes the somewhat distraught and painful look on this mans face? What do you think?

Let me know on my Facebook or click on the image.