Imprints: A Retrospective

by David Plowden

Photographs taken over a period of forty years depict America's vanishing and endangered places, from the wastelands of New Jersey to West Virginia factory towns and a Great Lakes steamer

Genres: Photography, Art

203 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1997

About the author

David Plowden is the author of more than twenty photography books, including Bridges: The Spans of North America, Vanishing Point: Fifty Years of Photography, and Requiem for Steam. He lives in Winnetka, Illinois.

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the EXTREME PRIVILEGE of working with David Plowden in his home darkroom, on one of the prints that's featured in this book. David was a visiting professor for Grand Valley while I was there and in addition to his incredible talent, he's also a charismatic and charming man. He's encouraging and insightful and a brilliant artist. I absolutely love going through the images in this book.

[Julie Compton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book on a whim and he's now one of my favorite photographers. It's simply compelling shots of rural america in black and white. High contrast and wide open.

[Judith Leipold · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ran across the name of David Plowden and realized I knew nothing about him. I searched his name on the internet and found his photography intriguing me to know more. This was the first book of DP I happily consumed. His art is raw, it is honest, and he captures the setting in a moment that might otherwise escape the "normal" eye. For many of his photographs, I found it hard to look away. Instead, I wanted to enter the scene, walk across the street, or across the field, or step away from the railroad workers surrounded by billowing steam. I also found myself comparing his photographs to favorite artists, Hopper, N.C. Wyeth, and Van Gogh. I dare you to sit among any of his photographs and not to consider him a true artist.