David Anderson: Rough Beauty

David Anderson was born in 1970 in Lansing, Michigan. At the age of nine he started photographing with his Kodak Instamatic camera. As an adult he worked as producer for MTV and as a member of Bill Clinton’s White House staff. 

Anderson took a class with Texas photographer Keith Carter. In that class the students put their secrets in a hat, then they chose another classmates secret at random. The secret Anderson got changed his life. His paper read, “I’m more scared than I look.”

One of his friends suggested that he drive to a near by town that was known to for its racist past. Vidor was known for having Klan activity. Anderson drove around and took pictures of whatever he found interesting. He claims he did not seek out anything racist. Many people of the people of Vidor felt they were portrayed negatively. Anderson always says in interviews that,“I developed such affection for the town.” He did publish a book a book of the photographs titled Rough Beauty.

The photographs are reminiscent of the Farm Security Administration. That is probably what makes me like them. I am fascinated by the work and style of the FSA. This series is stylistically similar to the FSA photos as well. The top photograph is my favorite. I like that I can not see the girl’s face. I want to know if the chicken is something she is raising for dinner. It is similar to how children sold eggs during the Great Depression to help feed their families. The bottom photograph makes me wonder why the men aren’t working. Is it their day off? Do they not have jobs? What is the one man drinking? Then again maybe I am the one reading too much into the image due to the past of the town. I could be the one stereotyping.