lesterbootus
Snakehandling
Russel Lee
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code.
Artist Bio: Russell Lee, born in 1903 in Ottawa, Illinois died 1986 in Austin Texas. He lived most of his life as an American photographer and photojournalist. Though trained as a chemical engineer he became interested in photography and in 1936 joined Roy Stryker's team of photographers for the federally sponsored project, FSA. This project was created to combat rural poverty during the Great Depression. The FSA was intended to improve the lives of sharecroppers, tenants and land owning farmers resettling them into group farms or more suitable land. Lee was hired to document the process. After the FSA lost it's funding, Lee went to work under Stryker for the Standard Oil of New Jersey. In 1947 he moved to Austin Texas and became the first instructor of photography.
Description: This photo is of a church group handling serpents at the Pentecostal Church of God in Lejunior, Harlan county, Kentucky. Most of the members of the church are miners and their families. Notice Lee's notorious use of the flash indoors not only capturing a moment in time but also casting shadows on to the almost barrack like walls of the church. I would gather from this photo that the members of the church are probably strongly devoted to their faith, possibly renewed after the hardships they may have suffered, Also it is likely that Lee became very close to the community of Lejunior allowing him access into the church. The snake is definitely the focus with all eyes on him, even from the musician in the back. it's easy to imagine the noise and energy level in the room.
Snakehandling
Russel Lee
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code.
Artist Bio: Russell Lee, born in 1903 in Ottawa, Illinois died 1986 in Austin Texas. He lived most of his life as an American photographer and photojournalist. Though trained as a chemical engineer he became interested in photography and in 1936 joined Roy Stryker's team of photographers for the federally sponsored project, FSA. This project was created to combat rural poverty during the Great Depression. The FSA was intended to improve the lives of sharecroppers, tenants and land owning farmers resettling them into group farms or more suitable land. Lee was hired to document the process. After the FSA lost it's funding, Lee went to work under Stryker for the Standard Oil of New Jersey. In 1947 he moved to Austin Texas and became the first instructor of photography.
Description: This photo is of a church group handling serpents at the Pentecostal Church of God in Lejunior, Harlan county, Kentucky. Most of the members of the church are miners and their families. Notice Lee's notorious use of the flash indoors not only capturing a moment in time but also casting shadows on to the almost barrack like walls of the church. I would gather from this photo that the members of the church are probably strongly devoted to their faith, possibly renewed after the hardships they may have suffered, Also it is likely that Lee became very close to the community of Lejunior allowing him access into the church. The snake is definitely the focus with all eyes on him, even from the musician in the back. it's easy to imagine the noise and energy level in the room.