I’m starting a new feature for the blog; I call it Americana. Photos that capture a feel for America in 2020.
It might be an old barn or a scene in a sandwich/coffee shop, like the one above. People eating alone in diners and convenience stores is an Iconic American image; Edward Hopper loved to photograph and paint those scenes.
So do I.
I come here often to buy lunch for Maria and me and bring it home; both of us work hard in the mornings and don’t have time to cook lunch, and I like to take rides to get outside and clear my head.
I stop at this shop regularly, and I often see this man eating lunch alone, quietly, and in the same chair and place every day.
He orders the same lunch every day also.
The scene seems very American to me.
It looked lonely at first, but when I talked to this man and asked to take his picture, he said it is comforting and soothing to him to eat lunch alone in his regular chair.
He said his life could be chaotic at times, lunch was an oasis, and yes, I was welcome to take his photo. It’s the first Americana photo.
Love it, Jon! What a pure and simple photo….but oh so beautiful!!
oh, I love this photo, Jon. Not sure which camera you used……. but it always stuns me to see the incredible detail the eye is drawn to (my eye, at least) with black and white. Just gorgeous!
Susan M
This was an Iphone 13 Pro Max photo, Susan, thanks..It was taken in color but I converted it to black and white..
Black and white photographs can be really interesting especially those who have a person in them. This one looks like a step back in time. A really good job.
Jon, this is wonderful! I’m really looking forward to more of your “Americana” series; so often we don’t pause to notice everyday moments like this, don’t truly SEE them, and yet they’re such an essential part of our feeling of place, the comfort of familiarity – taken for granted but missed so much if they’re lost to us, as when an often-frequented or old favorite business disappears without warning. Interesting how we sometimes make up stories about people we notice, for example having the feeling that this man’s same lunch alone here every day might be lonely, a very reasonable thought; but you inquired and found that it’s an oasis of peace and comfort for him. Made me remember the hectic times when raising kids, working a stressful full time job, dealing with ill & aging parents, etc., my weekly solitary lunches, reading a book in a favorite cafe, were so restorative – like “playing hooky” in the middle of the day! I can hardly wait for your next Americana photo.
Thank you I’ve got to think about these…
What a great idea for a new blog. I love this first photo. It reminds me of the days when I had three children and would get up at 5 or so, well before anyone else was awake and sip my coffee by the window in the dark until either the sky brightened or one of the kids woke up. My husband traveled often for work so I cherished those times when I could just be alone with my thoughts. I’m looking forward to seeing Americana through your eyes.
looking forward to this series