The following is my Salt Tram blog post related to A. A. Forbes. Although I will reproduce it here, it can be found at this link: A. A. Forbes - Salt Tram photographer
A. A. Forbes operated his studio in Bishop from 1902 to 1916, the same timeframe in which the Salt Tram was conceived, designed, built and operated. In addition, the Salt Tram innovator and President, White Smith, Esq. (that means he was a lawyer) was a prominent citizen of the same Bishop, California in which Mr. Forbes had his studio. Both A. A. Forbes and White Smith advertised their respective businesses (Photography Studio and Law Office) on the same page in the Inyo Register for numerous years and must have been acquainted; we hope that White and family and friends sat for a portrailt with A. A., and we hope you have a copy of it - we'd love to see it!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Welcome to the life of A. A. Forbes
Frontier Photographer Andrew Alexander Forbes
In researching the Saline Valley Salt Tram, we repeatedly came across photos taken by frontier photographer A. A. Forbes of Bishop, California. As with the Salt Tram, we found out that there was no real information out there on the man and his work. Through the years, we've seen many quality historical photos with that name "A. A. Forbes" written neatly in a corner of the image, and knew that he had made a substantial contribution to the recording of history in the amazingly history-dense Owens Valley, California. Just like our desert explorations, one discovery merely leads to another, and the effect is exponential in nature, thus bringing Andrew Alexander Forbes into our litterary gunsight.
Though most of the available research time has been devoted to completing research on the Salt Tram, I am hoping that those who have information on the life, times and photography of Mr. Forbes will continue to contact us. I don't write about Forbes because I want to, but do so because I have to. My writing subjects reach out to me and implore me to not let their dreams and goals, aspirations and sweat, disappear from the face of the earth forever.
I must honor Andrew Alexander's extraordinary contributions made by what on the surface may appear to be an ordinary man. My gut tells me that A. A. Forbes was a hardworking man of the people, humble to his core, who connected in a spiritual way with the people and places that he photographed. So far, my research bears this out.
Welcome to the life of A. A. Forbes, Frontier Photographer.
As with the Salt Tram investigation effort (click on Salt Tram), we are seeking photos from A. A. Forbes and related information of his life and times. Please help if you can. Thank-you for reading about this extraordinary gentleman.
Go To A. A. Forbes Home
In researching the Saline Valley Salt Tram, we repeatedly came across photos taken by frontier photographer A. A. Forbes of Bishop, California. As with the Salt Tram, we found out that there was no real information out there on the man and his work. Through the years, we've seen many quality historical photos with that name "A. A. Forbes" written neatly in a corner of the image, and knew that he had made a substantial contribution to the recording of history in the amazingly history-dense Owens Valley, California. Just like our desert explorations, one discovery merely leads to another, and the effect is exponential in nature, thus bringing Andrew Alexander Forbes into our litterary gunsight.
Though most of the available research time has been devoted to completing research on the Salt Tram, I am hoping that those who have information on the life, times and photography of Mr. Forbes will continue to contact us. I don't write about Forbes because I want to, but do so because I have to. My writing subjects reach out to me and implore me to not let their dreams and goals, aspirations and sweat, disappear from the face of the earth forever.
I must honor Andrew Alexander's extraordinary contributions made by what on the surface may appear to be an ordinary man. My gut tells me that A. A. Forbes was a hardworking man of the people, humble to his core, who connected in a spiritual way with the people and places that he photographed. So far, my research bears this out.
Welcome to the life of A. A. Forbes, Frontier Photographer.
As with the Salt Tram investigation effort (click on Salt Tram), we are seeking photos from A. A. Forbes and related information of his life and times. Please help if you can. Thank-you for reading about this extraordinary gentleman.
Go To A. A. Forbes Home
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)