David Plowden is regarded as one of the most dedicated photographers of vanishing America – the man-made American of small towns, family owned farms, mom n' pop stores, steam railroads, ships and majestic viaducts and bridges. Journeying along the back roads and highways of the United States, Plowden photographs details often overlooked by the common traveler, stopping to admire a vast field of wheat, a window pane on the side of a rural church, the ragged edge of a wind-torn barn and the silence of small towns. Along the way, he introduces us to people who live in the heart of America, including the proprietor of a local general store in Iowa, a mechanic working on a steam locomotive, a child riding his bicycle along Main street and a steel worker slagging ingots in an Indiana steel mill.
Through stunning black and white photographs, Plowden documents a fading landscape that is giving way to big box America and suburban construction. As more and more communities find themselves disappearing, Plowden is there to solidify their place in America's history. Like Walker Evans, his friend and mentor, Plowden is driven by a need to document -- a need to expose all that is vanishing.
All images are available as 11 x 14" gelatin silver prints, not editioned. Pieces range in price from $3000 to $6000, depending on the negative date. Select images are also available as 16 x 20" gelatin silver prints made in an edition of 25 for $7500.
Please call: (312) 266-2350 for prices of specific pieces.
Prices are print only unless otherwise indicated.
Abandoned Barn, Barns County, ND, 1973
David Plowden, Abandoned Barn, Barns County, ND, 1973
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Abandoned Grain Elevators, Arena, North Dakota, 2003
David Plowden, Abandoned Grain Elevators, Arena, North Dakota, 2003
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Auburn City Hardware, Auburn, Indiana, 2005
David Plowden, Auburn City Hardware, Auburn, Indiana, 2005
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Canadian Pacific and Canadian National Railway bridges across Fraser River, Siska Creek, BC, 1968
David Plowden, Canadian Pacific and Canadian National Railway bridges across Fraser River, Siska Creek, BC, 1968
From the Vanishing Point series
14 x 11" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Canadian Pacific and Canadian National Railway bridges across Fraser River, Siska Creek, BC, 1979
David Plowden, Canadian Pacific and Canadian National Railway bridges across Fraser River, Siska Creek, BC, 1979
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Canadian Pacific Railway Locomotive Number 2412, Montreal, Quebec, 1960
David Plowden, Canadian Pacific Railway Locomotive Number 2412, Montreal, Quebec, 1960
From the Vanishing Point series
14 x 11" geletin silver print
Edition open
Canadian Pacific Railway Locomotives in Snowstorm, Montreal, Quebec, 1960
David Plowden, Canadian Pacific Railway Locomotives in Snowstorm, Montreal, Quebec, 1960
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" geletin silver print
Edition open
Canadian Pacific Railway, Trains departing Windsor Station, Montreal, Quebec , 1960
David Plowden, Canadian Pacific Railway, Trains departing Windsor Station, Montreal, Quebec , 1960
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" geletin silver print
Edition open
Captain Jacobsen, in Pilothouse of New York Central Tug No. 18, Weehawken New Jersey , 1963
David Plowden, Captain Jacobsen, in Pilothouse of New York Central Tug No. 18, Weehawken New Jersey , 1963
From the Vanishing Point series
14 x 11" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Cazenovia, NY , 1966
David Plowden, Cazenovia, NY , 1966
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Charging Open Hearth Furnace, Steel Mill, East Chicago, Indiana, 1979
David Plowden, Charging Open Hearth Furnace, Steel Mill, East Chicago, Indiana, 1979
From the Vanishing Point series
14 x 11" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Church, Saline County, MO, 1974
David Plowden, Church, Saline County, MO, 1974
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Cleaning hold, Steamer Crispin Oglebay, 1985
David Plowden, Cleaning hold, Steamer Crispin Oglebay, 1985
From the Vanishing Point series
14 x 11" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Cooling Tower Nuclear Plant, Indiana, 1981
David Plowden, Cooling Tower Nuclear Plant, Indiana, 1981
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad, Locomotive taking sand, Chama, New Mexico, 1960
David Plowden, Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad, Locomotive taking sand, Chama, New Mexico, 1960
From the Vanishing Point series
14 x 11" geletin silver print
Edition open
Dessie Higgenbottom, owner, Dessie's Bar and Grill, Pocohontas, Viriginia , 1974
David Plowden, Dessie Higgenbottom, owner, Dessie's Bar and Grill, Pocohontas, Viriginia , 1974
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
East of Las Vegas, New Mexico, 1971
David Plowden, East of Las Vegas, New Mexico, 1971
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Erie Lackawanna Railroad, Westbound "Phoebe Snow" at Scranton, Pennsylvania, 1964
David Plowden, Erie Lackawanna Railroad, Westbound "Phoebe Snow" at Scranton, Pennsylvania, 1964
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" geletin silver print
Edition open
Farmstead, near Peotone, Will County, IL, 1981
David Plowden, Farmstead, near Peotone, Will County, IL, 1981
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Ferryboat Orange in Hudson River, Approaching Newburgh, New York, 1953
David Plowden, Ferryboat Orange in Hudson River, Approaching Newburgh, New York, 1953
From the Vanishing Point series
14 x 11" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Former Colorado & Southern Railroad Tracks, Greenville, New Mexico, 1971
David Plowden, Former Colorado & Southern Railroad Tracks, Greenville, New Mexico, 1971
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
General Mills Elevator, Buffalo, New York , 1985
David Plowden, General Mills Elevator, Buffalo, New York , 1985
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Girl in Window, Cresson, Pennsylvania , 1975
David Plowden, Girl in Window, Cresson, Pennsylvania , 1975
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Grain Elevator, North Topeka, Kansas, 1968
David Plowden, Grain Elevator, North Topeka, Kansas, 1968
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Grain Elevators, Golden Valley, ND, 1971
David Plowden, Grain Elevators, Golden Valley, ND, 1971
From the Vanishing Point series
13 x 13" gelatin silver print
Great Northern Railway "Extra 3387 East" Near Delano, Minnesota, 1956
David Plowden, Great Northern Railway "Extra 3387 East" Near Delano, Minnesota, 1956
From the Vanishing Point series
14 x 11" geletin silver print
Edition open
Great Northern Railway "Extra 3387 East" Near Delano, Minnesota (close up), 1956
David Plowden, Great Northern Railway "Extra 3387 East" Near Delano, Minnesota (close up), 1956
From the Vanishing Point series
14 x 11" geletin silver print
Edition open
Great Northern Railway, Westbound Freight Train, West of Havre, MT, 1968
David Plowden, Great Northern Railway, Westbound Freight Train, West of Havre, MT, 1968
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Helen Nelson's Beauty Shop, Alta Vista, Kansas, 1991
David Plowden, Helen Nelson's Beauty Shop, Alta Vista, Kansas, 1991
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Hoboken Ferry Terminal, from the ferryboat Chatham, Hoboken, New Jersey, 1960
David Plowden, Hoboken Ferry Terminal, from the ferryboat Chatham, Hoboken, New Jersey, 1960
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Isabella County, Michigan, 1975
David Plowden, Isabella County, Michigan, 1975
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Judy Wright's Living Room, Springville, New York, 1992
David Plowden, Judy Wright's Living Room, Springville, New York, 1992
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Kelley Bradley, Scotch Grove, May, 1987
David Plowden, Kelley Bradley, Scotch Grove, May, 1987
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Marion Baustian, Guernsey, Iowa, 1986
David Plowden, Marion Baustian, Guernsey, Iowa, 1986
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Norfolk & Western Railway yard, Welch, West Viriginia, 1974
David Plowden, Norfolk & Western Railway yard, Welch, West Viriginia, 1974
From the Vanishing Point series
14 x 11" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Ollie Woodcock, deckhand, Tug Julia C. Moran undocking liner, New York, NY, 1975
David Plowden, Ollie Woodcock, deckhand, Tug Julia C. Moran undocking liner, New York, NY, 1975
From the Vanishing Point series
14 x 11" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Peoria County, Illinois, 1993
David Plowden, Peoria County, Illinois, 1993
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Pittsfield, New Hampshire , 1999
David Plowden, Pittsfield, New Hampshire , 1999
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Slagging Ingots, Steel Mill, East Chicago, Indiana, 1979
David Plowden, Slagging Ingots, Steel Mill, East Chicago, Indiana, 1979
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Statue of Liberty from Caven Point Road, Jersey City, New Jersey, 1967
David Plowden, Statue of Liberty from Caven Point Road, Jersey City, New Jersey, 1967
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Steamer Kinsman Independent, Duluth, Minnesota, 1985
David Plowden, Steamer Kinsman Independent, Duluth, Minnesota, 1985
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Steamer Kinsman Independent,unloading cement clinker at Superior, Wisconsin, 1985
David Plowden, Steamer Kinsman Independent,unloading cement clinker at Superior, Wisconsin, 1985
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Steve, Davy, West Virginia , 1974
David Plowden, Steve, Davy, West Virginia , 1974
From the Vanishing Point series
14 x 11" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Storekeeper, Watrous, New Mexico, 1971
David Plowden, Storekeeper, Watrous, New Mexico, 1971
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Susquehanna River Bridges, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1969
David Plowden, Susquehanna River Bridges, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1969
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Taconite Mine, Mesabi Range, Minnesota, 1979
David Plowden, Taconite Mine, Mesabi Range, Minnesota, 1979
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
The Jefferson Barracks Bridge, Mississippi River, 1998
David Plowden, The Jefferson Barracks Bridge, Mississippi River, 1998
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
The Lethbridge Viaduct, Lethbridge, Alberta, 1968
David Plowden, The Lethbridge Viaduct, Lethbridge, Alberta, 1968
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
The Western House, Springville, NY, 1992
David Plowden, The Western House, Springville, NY, 1992
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Yaquina Bay Bridge, Newport, Oregon, 1968
David Plowden, Yaquina Bay Bridge, Newport, Oregon, 1968
From the Vanishing Point series
14 x 11" gelatin silver print
Edition open
Young’s High Bridge, Kentucky River, Tyrone, Kentucky, 1968
David Plowden, Young’s High Bridge, Kentucky River, Tyrone, Kentucky, 1968
From the Vanishing Point series
11 x 14" gelatin silver print
Edition open