Discarded Dolls in the Southwest Black and White Photography
Three Weathered Toys Beneath A Fallen Piece Of Timber
I came across these discarded dolls while walking in the American Southwest, watching the ground and looking for details I might otherwise pass. Three figures lay in the sand beneath weathered timber. I stopped and photographed them from above, keeping the arrangement exactly as I found it.
The largest doll dominates the right side, with an outstretched arm and a tear across its body. The middle figure has a damaged face, while the smallest rests farther left. Their changing sizes give the group an unexpected rhythm, and their pale surfaces stand out against the rough ground.
Black and white brings the dolls, sand and wood into the same range of tones. The long piece of timber crosses the top of the frame, its deep grain contrasting with fabric and plastic below. Dirt, worn seams and irregular facial details become clearer the longer I look.
What interested me was the unfamiliar quality of something so recognisable. The toys still have the shapes of small human figures, but the setting and weathering make them unsettling. I did not need to move them or supply a story about how they arrived there. The photograph holds the mystery of that discovery. For me, its strength lies in the found arrangement and the physical detail, giving an ordinary childhood object a darker, more ambiguous presence.
© Dan Kosmayer, 2010
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About My Fine Art Photography
Every photograph in my collection comes from my own travels, explorations, and years behind the camera.
I create my work as photographic art rather than mass-produced decoration. From street portraits and abandoned places to landscapes, architecture, and the unusual subjects I discover along the way, each image begins with something that made me stop and look.
My photographs are available in multiple sizes so the same image can work in anything from an intimate wall space to a large statement installation.
