When photographer Paul Mobley set out to capture the soul of America's farming communities, he discovered a culture defined by tradition, integrity, and hard work, and comprised of the most authentic and generous individuals he's ever encountered. Traveling across the country from Tennessee to Montana, Mobley and his camera were welcomed into the homes of over one hundred farming families, who graciously shared their personal histories along with the fruits of their labor. To spend time with them was to turn back the clock--to an era when there were no locks on doors, no urban sprawl, and no virtue more prized than common decency. Children still move across the street and not across the state when they grow up, and parents move back in with their children whern they grow old. Story after story, visit after visit, Mobley slowly came to know the independent farmer's spirit both from behind the lens and over the dinner table. The result is a stunning series of portraits and direct quotes that collectively chronicle the life of the American farmer. Each image offers an unvarnished and intimate look inside the hardships and joys of a quickly disappearing lifestyle--one that once defined our national identity and now struggles just to keep a foothold. And even as encroaching cities threaten their livelihoods, these men and women continue to find sustenance in the same basic human values they were raised with. American Farmer is an inspirational reminder of what it means to live with simplicity and contentment, in a world that is driven by excess. This vivid portfolio is accompanied by anecdotes and memories in the farmer's own words that are both a testament to their enduring hospitatlity and a moving glimpse into their daily routines and family histories. But what you will read first, and foremost, are their faces. From Bruce Crump, a citrus farmer in Florida; to Patsy Fribley, a stockyard dealer from Montana; to Thurston Wilber, a Maine lobsterman, Mobley's intense and beautiful portraits capture the furrows of fields lining their brows, the crevices of drought creasing the corners of their mouths, and the grains of truth in their squinted eyes. 35 states included: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
SUPERB Photography Book If you have a heart for farming or just photography, this book will exceed your highest expectation. The pictures are awesome and the stories just take you to the farm. Incredible book!
Simply Beautiful This is a beautiful book. I received it for Christmas and have been looking through it ever since. The images are great, some are simply stunning. The photographer did a great job of giving the average American a look in to the eyes of one of our countries greatest treasures. The accompanying stories are just as moving as the photos. Some of the struggles endured are astonishing. I can't recommend this book highly enough. Anyone that has a connection to farming needs to have it, and anyone that doesn't will... more info
The Heart of America--The American Farmer This is the most beautiful book of photography I've ever seen. It's hard cover, very large and heavy and worth much more than the going price. It pictures the heart of America--our farmers. The forgotten men and women who work so hard to make a living and make America survive. On every other page appears a photographic wonder by Paul Mobley accompanied, on the opposite page, by a history of the farm given by the subject(s). Most of the photos are in color but some are also in black and white, and others in... more info
Awesome the photography in this book is amazing and well worth picking up. I feel like i have a better understanding of what life on the farm is like.
Related
Sections
