Shelby Lee Adams Photography: Appalachia

Napier's Living room, '89

Berthie with Pipe and John, '92

Tammy with Catfish, '03

James and Clapper, '06

I've been struggling a lot with ideas and trying to find one point, or idea, within Hooks essays to focus on for the image to go on my front cover. Something that I have definitely found more interesting as I have researched it is the culture of the Appalachian people (the "mountain people") which Hooks refers to in her essays. 

This is a series of photographs taken from the work of Shelby Lee Adams an American photographer that primarily focuses on portraiture. These photographs of Appalachian family life (some of his most famous work) I feel are really interesting. 

Why do you find these photographs interesting?

• They have a very strong sense of character. 
• Despite the impoverished, uncivilised way of living these are not photographs of poverty or deprivation...These people seem happy, they capture a sense of belonging maybe?
• The photographs give a sense of the Appalachian culture and community. 
• Seem quite natural, Adams has not changed or shaped the context but just taken photographs of them in their homes... 

How will this/how do you intend for this to influence your work?

• Maybe I could use these portraits as inspiration for creating characters?
• The appalachian people capture a sense of freedom - an escape from dominating culture - as well a sense of community and belonging. I think using imagery associated with this culture could work well to reflect Hooks essays and the way she sees rural America. 
• Maybe I could use this kind of imagery or portraits of these people, to change/ add detail to my character hugging/preserving the nature and pushing away the urban. This image can then be to capture the Appalachian's sense of connection with nature and want for separation from dominating culture... 
• Visually this is making me think of using newspaper, cut paper and maybe lino as a combination to make these images/ portraits? I think the newspaper and handmade feel would really reflect the rural and rugged living conditions of these people. The use of newspaper also works well to refer to the Appalachian's strong connections and links to the past.

http://www.collectorsworldonline.com/shelby-adams.html