Joseph Sohm's work can be seen in a variety of places. His photographs have appeared in the New York Times, National Geographic, NBC, CNN, the Wallstreet Journal and have served as the cover for several books including John Grisham's King of Tort's and as the back-cover of Bill Clinton's My Life.
Stepping out into his own, Sohm used his first solo project to create a beautiful depiction of the American people using sweeping photographs of both well-known and not so well-known monuments and places. He juxtaposes his work alongside famous poets and writers, such as Ralph Waldo Emerson to further relay to the reader his passionate message about the American democracy.
A Strong Beginning
Sohm entitled his first segment, Americans: In Pursuit of Happiness. It is here that he states his admirable mission that he struck out on as a photographer. Included alongside his essay are panoramic views of the nation's capitol as well as candid snap shots of Americans in their daily life.
From here, the reader is immediately drawn in as Sohm walks them through rich photographs of Native Americans, their Reservations and the African American people. What is most striking about these sections is how Sohm has captured the history of these races in America. From the Jamestown settlement to Frederick Douglass and through to modern-day where minorities are now an image of power and leadership, Sohm presents in only a few photographs how far America has come from its foundation.
American History
Along with showing how far the African American people have come, Sohm has also included a chapter on America's history. It is here that he depicts a variety of re-enactments from the earliest colony, to the Revolutionary War to the Wild West and into World War II.
A Coffee-Table Road Trip
Once Sohm concludes his historical back-story, what occurs next is a gentle shift into picturing America in the present-day. Sohm includes photographs of clearly American living with the open road, the red barns and the traffic jams. It is idyllic in places, but overall, Sohm does a good job of keeping the chapters balanced in that he includes all people - different races, mentally and physically handicapped and even the gang violence that has crippled many of America's cities.
Visions of America in the Media
Just days after President Obama's inaugeration, Sohm's Photo Symphony Concert for America was performed in Philadelphia with Visions of America's original score having been composed by Grammy award winner, Roger Kellaway. It was just the first step in a multi-media approach towards the book.
More recently, Visions of America has won the Gold Medal for the 13th Annual Independent Book Publishers Award for best coffee tabletop book. Sohm has been honored to share his book with several politicians like Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and even entertainment celebrities such as Barbara Streisand and Clint Eastwood. Lastly, a Visions of America song featuring William Shatner is available on YouTube with a video narrated by Clint Eastwood coming soon.
Overall, what Sohm has done here is lend his passion for his country to his art, thereby creating a beautifully made book that is not only a joy to read, but one that you will find yourself flipping through multiple times just for the photography alone. He has captured the people in a very honest way and has shown all sides to the American people while still capturing the passion and resilince that is in the heart of nearly every American.
Visions of America: Photographing Democracy by Joseph Sohm is available for purchase through Visions of America, LCC. with ISBN 978-0-9707957-1-7.
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