The Photography of William Christenberry

I'd like to start featuring the art of some of my favorite photographers on the blog. I'll do my best to make it a regular feature but blogger discipline isn't exactly my strong point. When I decided to start this feature, the first photographer that came to mind was William Christenberry.

Christenberry has a way of capturing the South that makes me feel nostalgic and a bit homesick. That's probably because his work centers mostly in Alabama and focuses on the kind of roadside barns and derelict buildings that are unique to the area. At times he revisits the same spot, year after year, documenting the changes to a dilapidated building. Other times he focuses on the spreading kudzu, a vine that can grow a foot a day and take over a forest in one summer.

If you're interested in more, his photography is just one aspect of his creative endeavors. He recreates model of some of the buildings he's photographed in great detail. He also does some haunting work with images of the Klan after witnessing a rally at a young age.