In his part of the exhibit, Tim Hyde offers a new selection of images from his series, Country. While the images concentrate on rural Nebraska, the series as a whole documents a way of life that is passing across America's rural terrain. The small towns and farms are not really disappearing, but they are going through fundamental changes. Mexican restaurants and convenience stores are replacing the cafes, large industrial farms are replacing the family farm, and schools are consolidating. Rural America isn't disappearing, but it is becoming less quiet and more saturated.
Below Tim shares some thoughts on the series and his process for capturing what's before him:
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| (c) Tim Hyde |
Over the past few years I have traveled around the South, Midwest, and Great Plains. Logistically, I try to visit America's small towns and rural areas small chunks at a time. I go to an area, rent a car, and drive around according to a rough plan, staying away from freeways, for three or four days at a time. You would be surprised how much ground you can cover in four days of driving—even when you stop at every small town along the way. In the past three years I have made four trips to the Great Plains, an area of special interest.
What is your interest in rural areas?
American's have always had a romantic view or small towns and rural areas, the "myth of the garden." It is the seedbed—in spirit, at least—of much of what we view as quintessentially American. Now all of that is changing. Farming has become a large-scale economic enterprise, and less a family affair. Small towns are changing dramatically, dying in some cases, consolidating, and certainly becoming more ethnically diverse. I have an interest in capturing a way of life that is passing as well as the new rural America that is emerging.
On another level, I've always had an interest in the interplay between nature and humans, the "battle" between mankind and Mother Nature. I operate on the premise that nature will win. Still, I'm fascinated by those places where humans live on the edge, places where nature is big and man's works are small: such places as Iceland, northern Canada, and deserts. The Great Plains is such a place, especially in winter.
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| (c) Tim Hyde |
Do you interact with the local people when you shoot?
Not intentionally, as a rule. Unless I have a specific question or need to solve a particular mystery, I do not talk to the local folks; I let the visuals explain themselves. I also attempt to avoid shooting people in my work because it can make the subject more melodramatic than I intend. Of course, people do come up to you often and ask what you are doing. Interestingly, these are unfailingly friendly inquiries in the West and Midwest, but sometimes hostile and suspicious in the South. Honestly, this is perhaps the most dramatic regional variation I have found when shooting in small towns and rural areas around the country.
What equipment do you take with you on the road?
I use a 60 megapixel Hasselblad on a tripod, and occasionally a 35mm SLR handheld. I am unconstrained in rural areas, so can take the far shot with a shorter lens, putting a farm in perspective. I am more confined in small towns and along Main Street—parked cars are my biggest hazard. If I had all the time in the world, I would only shoot small town Main Streets on Sunday mornings when they are empty. I tend to use my Hassey and a 28mm or 35mm, again locked down on a tripod.
Where to next?
I am headed to Cape Breton and Nova Scotia for a week of shooting next month, then, in the spring, I want to make a trip to Alaska to shoot the tsunami debris as it makes its way onshore from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in 2011.
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MEG's New Member Show is on exhibit at Multiple Exposures Gallery at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA through March 24th. An opening reception will be held Sunday, February 17th from 2pm-4pm at MEG.
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