The Photographs of the American Southwest photo series may focus on desolate landscapes, but they are not empty of emotions or character. Instead, the images are rife with rawness, capturing a moment in time that feels as though it will stretch on forever not just because of its frozen static existence, but because of the subject matter at hand.
Shot by acclaimed fashion and editorial photographer Dan Martensen, who was born in Pleasantville, New York, the Photographs of the American Southwest series was a personal project that blossomed into something worth sharing. It all began with a drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas in 2001. But as the decline of cities expanded due to the economic recession, the photo series took on a life of its own.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Emotive Landscape Photography
- The trend of capturing landscapes for their emotional impact has the potential to disrupt the traditional landscape photography industry
- Personal Photography Projects
- The trend of photographers pursuing personal projects and sharing them with a wider audience can disrupt the traditional boundaries of commercial and fine art photography
- Photography as Social Commentary
- The trend of using photography to document social issues, such as economic decline and its impact on cities and landscapes, has the potential to disrupt the way we view and address societal problems
Industries Being Reshaped
- Photography
- The photography industry can benefit from embracing trends like emotive landscape photography and showcasing more personal projects to appeal to a wider audience
- Fine Art
- The fine art industry can benefit from accepting and exhibiting photography that is not traditionally considered fine art, such as landscapes and personal projects, to expand their offerings and appeal to a wider audience
- Social Commentary
- The social commentary industry, including journalism and activism, can benefit from incorporating more photography and visual storytelling to document and raise awareness about societal issues
