Tim Barnwell

HTTP://WWW.BARNWELLPHOTO.COM/

“… countless photographers… attempt to capture the human element of the native mountaineer, but often the photographs look as out of place as the photographers who took them. Tim Barnwell is different. An Appalachian by birth and a photographer since childhood, Barnwell does not try to create a vision of Appalachia. He records the timeless quality of the region as it is.”—Our State Magazine

THE FACE OF APPALACHIA (2003)

Barnwell’s understanding of the Appalachian farmer shines through in his photographs and narratives of the people he has documented. Even though the photos are from the last twenty years, they capture what life has been like in the hills of Appalachia for hundreds of years. And, it’s a true view of that life and the traditions of the people with oral histories provided by those he photographed. Even though the area has many new residents and new roads, the enduring lifestyle is captured here in a timeless manner.

ON EARTH’S FURROWED BROW: THE APPALACHIAN FARM IN PHOTOGRAPHS (2007)

Barnwell once again captures the everyday life of the Appalachian farmer in both his photos and the oral histories included in this book. The life of the farmers as they work in their fields and homes provides a wonderful view of the people of the Southern Appalachian Mountains that is preserved in the pages of this collection. Barnwell celebrates the wisdom of these humble locals conveyed through his conversations with them

HANDS IN HARMONY: TRADITIONAL CRAFTS AND MUSIC IN APPALACHIA (2009)

Barnwell provides an honest and straightforward picture through his photos and oral histories, but this time he examines (with his sensitive eye and ear) the traditional musicians and craftspeople rather than the farmers of the area. Regional cultural roots and identity are developed when such traditions are handed down through generations. In addition to the oral histories, the book includes biographies and a CD with the music of southern Appalachia.