Americana

Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays! Its truly American! I love all the people and children in their red, white and blue fashions. American flags blowing in the gentle breeze are always photogenic. Picnics, pool parties and bbq’s are such a blast; It’s so perfect that it falls in mid year. What better time of year to sit outside on a warm summer night and watch the fireworks from the back of a pick-up truck or perched up on a roof.

americana photographer

 

 

There are so many photo opportunities on July 4th that I wish I could photograph them all. Kids eating watermelon &  time-lapse shots of fireworks are images that come to mind when I think of Independence Day. They are all so beautiful and so very storybook “American”.  It’s an absolutely fantastic time to do family portraits in a relaxed environment with people being natural and having a great time.

My kids, my camera and I will be attending the Van Gaale family annual Fourth of July Horseshoe Tournament in Temecula on the compound. I think tomorrow I will be using my old Canon a1 film camera. It’s probably going to get crazy and that camera is so sturdy that it’s the perfect choice. Plus, I love the way film handles bright afternoon light.  Cowboy boots, jean shorts, kids with dirty faces, slip n slides, kegs of beer and a pig-in-the-ground for dinner, all call for the beautiful aesthetic that film offers.

In honor of the holiday I’ll share some photos from my Americana series. The Americana series isn’t necessarily the apple-pie vision of America.  They are absurd and somewhat surreal pics  that say something about the state of our society today. Some are lighthearted and have a sense of humor and some are a bit more heavy and symbolic of economics, politics, transportation, technology & government. Most of the images were shot in southern california desert regions and are featured on my other site heatherhussey.com

Dear Jager
Faux dear head in classic dive bar with checkered floors sits atop a table with american flag in background

Have a safe holiday

P.S  I love sparklers, flag print bikinis & ice cold beer.

xo

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