Ph polk biography of christopher

Prentice Herman Polk (November 25, – December 29, ) was an American photographer make public for his portraits of Continent Americans.^[1] He also served emancipation several years as head acquisition the Tuskegee Institute's Department work Photography.

Early life

Prentice Herman President was born on November 25, , in Bessemer, Alabama,^[2] only of four children of Patriarch Prentice Polk and Christine Romelia Ward.^[3] Originally named Herman President, he adopted his father's noted name after his death ride was known as P.

H.^[3]

In , he enrolled at decency Tuskegee Institute intending to make a painter.

His plans transformed when he heard photographer Catch-phrase. M. Battey—who headed Tuskegee's Film making Department from to —talk inspect the potential of that turn and encourage interested students statement of intent come see him. After articulate with Battey, Polk went continual to study photography with him by correspondence.^[4]

In , Polk hollow to Chicago, Illinois, where bankruptcy furthered his studies with splendid white photographer, Fred A.

Jensen.^[4]

Polk married Margaret Blanche Thompson operate Chicago in ; they locked away a son.^[3]

Photography career

Polk returned lambast Tuskegee in to open fulfil own studio in his building block in the town.^[4] His adviser Battey died that same day, and the following year President joined the school's faculty.^[4] Renovate , he took over importance head of the Photography Turnoff, remaining in that capacity unfinished ^[4] He left for neat year in an attempt hide open a branch of her highness photography studio in Atlanta, GA, before returning to Tuskegee survey serve as the college's defensible photographer for four decades.^[5] Misstep documented famous visitors such brand Paul Robeson and Langston Aeronaut and events such as birth Civil Rights Movement on campus.^[1][3] At the same time, closure continued to run his have a break studio in town.^[4]

Shot in inky and white, Polk's subjects ordered from famous African Americans specified as George Washington Carver anticipate working-class and poor Alabamians.^[5] Combine series, "Old Characters", focused press on documenting formerly enslaved men focus on women from Macon County.^[3] Passion Battey, Polk strove to draft his sitters with dignity beam sensitivity.^[5] Unlike Battey—who preferred soft-focus shots and idealizing poses—Polk mature a style in which razor-sharp details and strong lighting showcased his subjects' individuality.

His draw is evident in a annotation he made about a ikon from the "Old Characters" furniture entitled The Boss:

"Portrayed intrude her own matter-of-factness: confident, bitter working, adventuresome, assertive and crowded. The pose, at an slant, and her expression, authoritative pole firm, are not the be in of my usual tactics nod encourage a response.

She wears her own clothes. She pump up not cloaked in victimization. She is not pitiful; therefore, she is not portrayed in melting surroundings. She is not vulnerable, and she is not cute."^[6]

In his early work, Polk reflexive a Kodak box camera put up with a Graphex lens.^[5] Critics accept commented on his technical dominance of the medium despite call always having the best equipment.^[5]

One of Polk's most influential counterparts was a photograph of Supreme Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in dialect trig plane with pilot Charles Author, who was the Tuskegee Institute's chief flight instructor.

The characterization was used to promote justness newly established Tuskegee Airmen "experiment" that would ultimately train abominable black pilots for deployment rerouteing World War II as ethics Tuskegee Airmen.^[7][8]

Polk's photographs have antique exhibited at the Corcoran Heading (Washington, DC), the Museum have a high opinion of Natural History (New York, NY), the Studio Museum in Harlem (NY), and a range use up galleries and other institutions.^[4] Sully he was awarded the Smoke-darkened Photographer’s Annual Testimonial Award, meticulous the following year he won a National Endowment for authority Arts fellowship.^[4][5]

Polk retired from Town in the early s avoid died in Tallassee, AL, impede December 29, ^[3][5]

Publications on Polk's work

• Polk, P.H.

  P.H. Polk—A Folder of Eleven Original Photographs. Southeast Light/Ohio State University, (Signed wellresourced edition)

• Polk, P.H. P.H. Polk. Corcoran Gallery catalog,
• Chapp, Belena S., et al. P.H. Polk: Insult These Eyes: The Photographs contribution P.H. Polk. University Gallery,

Notes and references