Five photographers capturing the changing state of Americana

Whether born and bred, or an outsider looking in, America is a diverse and changeable place. From the 60s to today, these five photographers all explore the vast evolution of the culture of Americana, get to know them and their takes below…

MATT HENRY

Cinematic in its intensity and hyperreal in its content, Matt Henry’s photography is as important as ever. Henry dissects the genre of Southern Gothic, transforming modern America into the world of old. Looking back at these troubled times of racial inequality, gender stereotypes and political unrest – Henry turns the lens onto the current crisis in the same country decades on. Read more here.

JOEL MEYEROWITZ

Joel Meyerowitz has captured the ages: from the offset in 1962, where he started making spontaneous colour photographs on the streets of New York, he caught candid moments that the ordinary eye could easily miss. Inspired by Robert Frank’s innovative approach to photography, Meyerowitz quit his day-job, grabbed a 35 mm camera, took to the sidewalks, and the rest is history. Since known as one of the most important street photographers of his generation: shooting in colour before it was artistically respected, he permanently adopted the format in 1972 – pre-Eggleston even – and was “instrumental in changing attitudes towards colour photography in the 1970s”. Find out more and read our interview with Joel Meyerowitz here.

ALEX PRAGER

American photographer and filmmaker Alex Prager captures the surrealism of America like none other: from Hitchcockian sets to Stepford Wives vibes, her creations evoke never-ending narratives. Born into the wild world of 1979 Los Angeles, Prager’s works cross the worlds of art, fashion, photography and film, exposing their melodrama by encapsulating them with an eerie hyperrealism. Referencing the aesthetics of noir cinema and hallucinatory old Hollywood, the photographer’s carefully staged scenes and sharply styled create a dramatic intensity worthy of the silver screen. Often depicting “spaces where people find themselves, sometimes unwillingly, in close proximity to others: streets, beaches, airport lounges, theatres”, the work pushes the viewer to become a voyeur of her subjects. See her Silver Lake Drive series here.

MARIO CARNICELLI

Taking in the people, fashion, colours and textures of the sixties street life, Mario Carnicelli encapsulates the changing culture of America in every shot. His outside eye brings a voyeuristic aesthetic to his series, as he triumphs in capturing the candid moments of day-to-day life. Fascinated by the country’s “multiculturalism, fashion, individuality, freedom and pursuit of happiness uniquely underpinned by a pervasive loneliness and rootlessness” that he observed, especially in “people separated from family and kin”. From students to workers, passers-by to pensive sitters, Carnicelli pictures people in moments of calm within the hustle and bustle of city life. Whether New Yorkers, Detroiters, DC city slickers or Chicagoans, his lens celebrates humankind as one whilst showcasing the intimacy of individuality. Take a look at Mario Carnicelli’s American Voyage here.

EDOUARD SELPULCHRE

Edouard Sepulchre is a 42-year-old French photographer, born and raised in Paris, he’s photographed little corners all over the world. After recently travelling around America, Edouard Sepulchre believes his work to have evolved notably, in terms of composition, lighting, colour and tone. His work highlights the hidden artistic aspects of urban settings, from unmissable neon signs to inconspicuous strangers on the streets. See more here.