Some subjects demand to be photographed in black and white. When there is no advantage to colour there is every opportunity to work on composition and gradations in tone. Such was the case with this image of discarded vehicles.
In the mid 1960s the Al-Jon crusher was invented: it operated with huge hydraulic jaws that reduced vehicles to a thin layer six inches in height and five feet wide. The Al-Jon was sometimes called “the pasta machine” for the way it flattened everything.
There was a time when going to a scrapyard was an adventure… you could salvage a steering wheel, a car radio or a hubcap. The Al-Jon ended those treasure hunts. Scenes such as the one above became rarities, and for this photographer, a scene worth capturing.
“To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place. I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” ~ Elliott Erwitt
Location: Brandon, Manitoba
Date: January, 1980
Source: Pentax ME Super with Fuji Black and White film
