Still Haunted By Walker Evans Portrait

I am still haunted by the photograph Walker Evans made of the Fields family in 1936 Alabama. The photo communicates the message of who these people were so well. You get a understanding of all the individuals, their poverty, their strength, their vulnerabilities. It transports me back in time to that place and time, into the Fields home.

I think what I need to do this trip is to try to do a group portrait outside each shack in the dump. I need to photograph every family this way. I might not be able to get everyone to pose for me, but I think I can get at least 10 families shot in this group portrait way. The large 5x7 negative should yield a crisp beautifully detailed family portrait.

Only when I have my own good versions of this group portrait, will I find relief from my Evans-Fields photo haunting.

Update* With this added side photo project, I will probably need more film. Am thinking of upgrading from 400 sheets of Tri-x 5x7 to 500.

Update** Just noticed something I had not noticed before (when I looked at the variation). There is a dark shadow under Bud Fields raised foot, indicating Walker Evans probably used a flash for the shots.

Bud Fields With His Family , August 1936, Alabama By Walker Evans

Variation