Above: An old gas station abandoned in the desert of Nevada by Edward Fielding.
The recent tragic fire in Paris of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France reminds us of photography’s role in preserving the past.
Not only can photography provide a glimpse into the past to see how things were – buildings, fashion, hairstyles etc but photography can also serve as a blueprint for rebuilding.
No doubt there are archival photographs documenting every inch of the Notre Dame Cathedral as well as millions of tourist’s casual snapshots which could be used to recreate what once was.
The construction of the cathedral took almost 200 years and was created in a time when more artisans and people who knew how to work with their hands (and were willing to work for low wages) but today’s modern technology such as 3D routers and other computer aided robotic machines and power equipment can make the rebuilding faster than the original — as long as we have photographs for reference.
Documenting and preserving the past via photography
As I travel around the country on my photography explorations, I’m mindful of the role my photographs might have in preserving buildings and relics of the past that might disappear in the next century, the next decade, the next week or even the next week.
I’ve photographed things like old phone booths or barns that simply were not there the next time I drove by. Weather, fire, vandals, or redevelopment — all have the potential erasing the past in our lifetimes.
Things and places we remember from our youth which never seems all that long ago.
Example: Old Gas Stations
Some day perhaps, gas stations will ironically go the way of the dinosaurs, as electric cars become the main form of transportation. These photographs of old gas stations might create a sense of wonder in the eyes of future generations who will grow up without a dependency on fossil fuel.