Random Excellence: Mitch Epstein

Mitch Epstein, Gavin Coal Power Plant, Cheshire, Ohio, 2003

The website is a little tricky, but all the pictures there are well worth viewing. Twice. The backgrounder essay is also interesting. It explains, among other things, the otherwise somewhat incongruous picture of "Boots" Hern with her gun (no. 9 of 63 at the website link).

The book is currently in "Steidlimbo": first edition out of print, second edition patiently awaiting its turn on Steidl's only press. (I'll let you know.)

There's no way to contact Mitch Epstein, apparently, but he might be interested in the book Edison and the Electric Chair: A Story of Light and Death by Mark Essig, as an amplification of his picture of the electric chair known as "Old Sparky" (picture no. 56 of 63). The electric chair itself was a sort of macabre PR gimmick in the battle between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse for control of the electricity market in the 1880s in New York; Edison, a proponent of direct current (DC), promoted the electric chair to emphasize his competitive advantage over Westinghouse's alternating current (AC), which was apparently electrocuting innocent citizens by accident right and left in its early days. (Westinghouse won in the end anyway.)

Billboard at 5456 West Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio

Mitch Epstein calls himself an "energy tourist" in his essay, at least in the context of this epic project. He is of course a classic, committed documentary photographer in the grand tradition.

Mike

ADDENDUM: It seems a large proportion of readers are complaining about the website, but I'd still advise you to persevere to see the pictures. It's not that bad...and it's worth it.

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Original contents copyright 2011 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved.

Comments

[David]

Dear god why do people think these sorts of websites are cool, neat, fun, interactive...it killed me and I stopped looking..call me impatient. Shame there were a few interesting images that flashed by..Just that, the website itself was a waste precious electricity.

Call Mitch, hit him with a fish..time for a new website.

[Mike Johnston]

Yeah, I actually had to click through every image a third time when I was writing the post because I forgot the name "Old Sparky" and had to go find it again. That got old fast.

It's slick but not simple; I'd say the best sites are slick *and* simple. It's still worth it to see the pics, IMO.

Mike

[Paul in Az.]

Overly 'cutesy' website that soon irritated me to the point that I quit looking.

[Jim Bullard]

Sites like that show off the cleverness and skills of the site programmer at the expense of the content. I exited very quickly (3 pictures was enough of the spinning & churning for me. A website that is about anything other than a coder showing off his skills should give the viewer simple and obvious access to the content. It should not make you feel like you fell down a rabbit hole.

[charlie]

I love Mitch's concept and content behind this project and have tried in the past to get through it. One must be very patient in order to be rewarded.

Overly caffeinated sites like this make no sense to me. Especially after as much coffee as I have had this morning!

I think I need an hour of yoga and some herbal tea to negotiate it.

That said it is really great stuff IMO.

[mwg]

The photos are good, but my hat is off to the web designer. That is possibly the most annoying web site I've ever seen.

[David Dyer-Bennet]

The flash effects are so slow, it really makes it a pain to look at. There are some good photos there, though.

[John Camp]

I agree with the other comments -- some really nice photos, the web site actually made my eyes hurt.

[erlik]

Eeeeek! My eyes hurt! But I had to check after all the previous comments. :) BTW, the photos are distorted.

[John W]

Hear, hear!! You would have to be a serious masochist to survive more than half a dozen images let alone inflicting that website on yourself TWICE(!!!!????). Too bad, the images are very interesting.

[John London]

The website is annoying but the images are worth the effort, and so is reading the backstory.

[Tom M]

love the pics. HATE the web site.

[Dan Daniel]

This kind of discussion of power in the USA has been going on for 40 years. And nothing has changed. I know it's not in his ability to make a culture turn by making one photo essay. I do wonder why he wasn't doing this 40, 30, 20 years ago. Now it feels like a classic 'closing the barn door after the cows have gotten out' situation. Maybe I don't understand how ill-informed most people are about energy issues, so miss how this could be educational rather than simply reinforcing?

I do question, as so often, using sites of social conflict and turmoil to make pretty pictures.

And yes, the web site is horrific.

[Bahi]

I ended up liking the site; it helps that the photographs are so strong. Loved the essay.

[Peter]

My iPad says no. The site is far too Flash for it.