When you think about the word ‘´¡³¾±ð°ù¾±³¦²¹²Ô²¹â€™ what comes to mind? Is it the vintage-style diners where they serve classic American cuisine or is it low-riding vintage trucks cruising along the never-ending highways? For me it’s the neon signs that appear in the night sky along the highway that temporarily stop your travels before resuming your journey the next day.
Americana has found its place within pop culture throughout the years, becoming a more well-known term by the mid- 20th century, specifically within the 1940s and 1950s when there was a resurgence of American folk music. Musicians such as , and later, , are just a few artists to name who define the American folk genre. Not only did Americana have an influence in the music scene it also translated over to visual media in film and photography.
Films such as (2020) and (2023) show the isolated eerie landscapes of Southern America, including places such as Texas and Ohio, which work well on the big screen and bring cinematic narration to the foreground. Not only has the concept of Americana been successfully portrayed in moving pictures, but famous photographers such as and have captured the essence of Americana in stills. By photographing landscapes and documenting everyday life in their projects, such as (Stephen Shore) and (William Eggleston), they evoke a sense of nostalgia in America.
With all that in mind, take a journey with us as we explore six main areas that have influenced the way we capture Americana in photography using images from our curated lightbox: Americana.
William EgglestonÂ
Known also as the ‘’ of colour photography, during the 1960s Eggleston increased the recognition of colour photography in America, specifically in documenting the American South. His approach was to capture what was happening in the moment with his singular pictorial style, while focusing on mundane themes. This technique set his images apart from other photographers during that time. His work has become highly influential to a generation of photographers, which can see from the images below that embrace the Eggleston style.
Route 66Â
Referred to as the ‘Mother Road’ connecting Chicago to Santa Monica California, Route 66 was originally created to connect rural towns to urban centers and is now known for symbolising American culture, freedom and adventure. The route over the years has made roadside attractions such as diners and motels a hot spot for the nostalgic experience. Taking anywhere from 3 days to a month to travel down, the route has become a perfect backdrop for films, TV and photography with endless areas to capture and interesting stops to interact with.
¶Ù¾±²Ô±ð°ù²õÌý
As we know from Route 66, American diners embrace the Americana feel from their exterior to interior and offer the ultimate American comfort cuisine from grilled cheese sandwiches to chocolate cream pie. The 24-hour availability of these diners makes them an ideal place for any passing customer at any time of day or night and is also a perfect place for artists who are looking to capture real life and real people.
Vintage Cars
From a Classic Muscle to a Chevrolet El Camino V8 pick-up truck, for any car enthusiast this is the only way to travel in style throughout America. We’ve seen this being adopted in films and TV with the vintage cars becoming symbolic and the main focus for thrill and adventure amongst the dramatic landscapes that America has to offer.
³¢²¹²Ô»å²õ³¦²¹±è±ð²õÌý
As we already know America’s landscapes are crucial for establishing a connection with the idea of Americana and for helping narration in visual media. Only in America will you find such evocative scenes of deserted gas stations, lone diners in front of a mountain or collapsed buildings in agriculture, which have all been documented over the years.
±Ê±ð´Ç±è±ô±ðÌý
Lastly, we could not speak about what really makes Americana what it is today and that is the spirit of the American people. They are the ones who have been at the heart of this rich portrayal throughout every decade, including more modern times. As the themes that have been spoken about throughout the blog have really all been manmade to some extent and without that influence there would be no notion of Americana.
By continuing these themes and taking an interest, it keeps the Americana spirit alive from an area full of rich sights, sounds and encounters to experience when visiting America.
We hope you enjoyed exploring the idea of Americana with these images serving a purpose for documenting and holding onto an era that still lingers in American society. If you live in America or are planning a trip there soon, don’t forget to capture this idea and nostalgic vibe. Most importantly upload your images to 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß using keywords such as ‘´¡³¾±ð°ù¾±³¦²¹²Ô²¹â€™, ‘Route 66’, ‘American Nostalgia’ and ‘Vintage America’.