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Karen Stuebing | all galleries >> PAD Again >> Photo A Day - 2005 >> Photo a Day - October > Back to Coal
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Karen Stuebing

Back to Coal

West Virginia

This is FDR (surname) named after that president because he was born on the day he was elected. Frank lives in a house at least a hundred years old built entirely by hand with a wonderful stone foundation. And with that wool cap, you could convert this to b/w and he would look like a miner from that time period. His whole family were miners.

Suprisingly, he loved having his photo taken . I've given him some prints of his dog and he treats them like treasures. He kept pointing out that he had one brown eye and one blue eye and wanted to know if it would show in the shot.

Of course, he uses coal to heat his house.


other sizes: small medium original auto
comment
Lieve Snellings04-Aug-2012 23:58
this is such a beautiful portrait ! BV
so great you give him prints...
larose forest photos11-May-2012 22:09
Wonderful portrait. There is a whole lifetime of stories in that face. V
Guest 07-Nov-2005 22:16
Karen,
These insights into the life that was and is in W. Va. are really compelling. You have found your voice as a visual storyteller.
Keep it up.
jypsee06-Nov-2005 06:31
I like the hat sideways. You have an interesting life, Karen.
Marisa Livet28-Oct-2005 21:11
An extraordinary portrait, as always you can show the respect and the sympathy you have for your subjects. I liked the story and what it suggests us. I think it would be a great gallery with a few more pictures and black and white would have been evocative too.
By the way the house where I live is more than 300 years old ( smile).
Marisa
Gayle P. Clement28-Oct-2005 10:52
Excellent portrait. He has such a strong face.
Guest 27-Oct-2005 21:09
You do a great job of these portraits, love it.
Guest 27-Oct-2005 17:25
Another vote for the picture, and another vote for your book! You show us a side to life in America that our tv doesn't!!
Stu27-Oct-2005 17:00
Great portrait, Karen
Roe..27-Oct-2005 10:29
I see yrs of hard work on the face of this handsome man..Karen this is one of my favorites..v
Karen Leaf27-Oct-2005 02:54
Please put me on the 1st edtion list for your book too Karen, seriously, look into it.
Sheila27-Oct-2005 01:21
A great character portrait. I should think you could fill a whole gallery with him. I like his quiet dignity.
Elaine (etfitz)27-Oct-2005 01:07
Wonderful portrait!
Hubert Steed27-Oct-2005 00:56
Very fine portrait gallery Karen... and interesting story. Thank you for your special insights into WV culture. The miner's expression is so dignified. Very moving...
joanteno26-Oct-2005 23:33
Excellent!
Guest 26-Oct-2005 23:00
Very nice mini gallery, nice portrait and story, i do enjoy your tales of WV
Jvan Photography26-Oct-2005 22:36
Karen I think you should write a book too, I love reading your commentary you are very good at it.
Ray :)26-Oct-2005 20:07
Karen - you seek out a wonderful array of traditonal characters in your neighbourhood. This is a great portrayal.
You're a million miles from San Francisco!
Guest 26-Oct-2005 20:04
Beautiful portrait and story. I ask too....when do you start the book?
Al Chesworth26-Oct-2005 19:29
Superb portrait Karen, there is a lifetime of hard work in the face. Voted.
royalld26-Oct-2005 19:22
Great mini documentary. I agree with James, when do you start your book?
Focus26-Oct-2005 18:16
Wonderful images and a great story. You have so much talent and such a great eye.....when are you going to start your book?
Costi Jacky 26-Oct-2005 17:12
Beautiful set of pictures and a wonderful story.
laine8226-Oct-2005 16:09
A fantastic portrait...! When those walls warm up it would be like toast in that house in mid winter. Love the coal bucket & shovel too
Larry Ahern26-Oct-2005 15:51
Portrait of life ... wonderful!!
jeanb26-Oct-2005 15:37
What a great portrait Karen.
I remember coal fires well, it was our only source of heat when I was a child. During WW2 in England, coal, along with everything else was rationed so each nugget was carefully guarded. My brother was a 'Bevan-Boy', sent down the mines when conscripted and talked very little of this time spent in hell.
Cliff26-Oct-2005 15:14
I love all three photos. He represents a quickly fading era for certain and I think photography, of your caliber, is the best vehicle we have of attempting to preserve this. Well done !
Bryan Murahashi26-Oct-2005 14:52
Great series of pictures in this mini documentary. Really shows how life is lived in
the small towns back east. Well done.
Olaf Herrig26-Oct-2005 14:29
A very nice little serie!
Coleen Perilloux Landry26-Oct-2005 13:52
Great strength of character and a life of hard work shown in this face. He looks surprisingly good for his age and the hard working life he endured. Nice gallery.
Herb 26-Oct-2005 13:10
Great mini gallery, well done
Guest 26-Oct-2005 12:04
Nice series.
Ian Clowes26-Oct-2005 11:29
Real character shot.
Gary Hebert26-Oct-2005 11:17
FDR has a very casual expression and I enjoyed your mini gallery...
Guest 26-Oct-2005 11:08
Wow, one brown eye and one blue eye... very unique. You do a fine job of capturing life in WV.