PURE : Abstract Photos of Industrial Things

I’ve primarily been a landscape photographer for the last 20 years. Just recently, I’ve started to take the odd minimalist/abstract image of agricultural infrastructure dotted throughout rural locations I’ve travelled. There is not much else in Eastern Washington – farmland crops (both sown and fallow), scrubland, and farming things. Over time, my focus has shifted to these simple shapes, the ubiquitous plastic water tanks, large tarped mounds of hay awaiting export, and centralized grain silos visible for miles due to their grandiose scale. Once I started looking, there was a lot to see, and I found beauty in their utilitarian function.

It became oddly satisfying abstracting these vernacular objects, machinery, and architecture. My favorite thing is to photograph a monochromatic composition, such as a blue object against a blue sky. While reviewing images for this series, I felt like I was looking at images of children’s toys – basic shapes and primary colors – but created for an adult’s sensibility.

Industrialization is everywhere in rural America. I’ve only just scratched the surface, and look forward to continuing this series.