American Pictures: A Reflection on Mid-Twentieth Century America

Rating:
Summary: Shot before it vanishes.
Review: A beautiful book of nostalgic Americana from Jeff Dunas. With the 112 photos taken over several trips around America Dunas has captured a past he remembered and wanted to record permanently before it vanished.

What I liked about the book was the careful sequence of the photos, for instance from photo fifty-eight you'll see a fifties car, 59, a smiling couple sitting on their porch, 60, a man outside a building, 61, part of an auto junkyard, 62, a terrific shot of the Hotel Carlos in Yuma, Arizona. This mixture of people, buildings, signs, autos and almost abstract parts of buildings makes for a really excellent flow of images as you turn over the pages.

For me the best photos are of buildings, they are presented in a very formal way, either front on or a perspective of two sides with the background providing a natural frame. No need for fancy gimmicks because the image content is strong enough to create interest and meaning. In fact nearly all the photos show Dunas has a natural framing instinct for great compositions, which make them seem so right.

I think it is worth commenting on the books production. It is of coffee-table proportions, with excellent design and typography and printed on quality paper which all helps to make the Dunas view of America all the more vibrant and fascinating.

Rating:
Summary: Shot before it vanishes.
Review: A beautiful book of nostalgic Americana from Jeff Dunas. With the 112 photos taken over several trips around America Dunas has captured a past he remembered and wanted to record permanently before it vanished.

What I liked about the book was the careful arrangement of the photos, for instance from photo fifty-eight you'll see a fifties car, 59, a smiling couple sitting on their porch, 60, a man outside a building, 61, part of an auto junkyard, 62, a terrific shot of the Hotel Carlos in Yuma, Arizona. This mixture of people, buildings, signs, autos and almost abstract parts of buildings makes for a really excellent flow of images as you turn over the pages.

For me the best photos are of buildings, they are presented in a very formal way, either front on or a perspective of two sides with the background providing a natural frame. No need for fancy gimmicks because the image content is strong enough to create interest and meaning. In fact nearly all the photos show Dunas has a natural framing instinct for great compositions, which make them seem so right.

I think it is worth commenting on the books production. It is of coffee-table proportions, with excellent design and typography and printed on quality paper which all helps to make the Dunas view of America all the more vibrant and fascinating.