Driving to Stony Lonesome

Internationally acclaimed photographer Jack Welpott grew up in southern Indiana, served in World War II, and returned to the Hoosier state to attend Indiana University. Unsure of his direction, he enrolled in a photography class and met the legendary photography instructor Henry Holmes Smith. Under his tutelage, Welpott thrived. He became enthralled with black-and-white photography as a fine art form, and never looked back. "Driving to Stony Lonesome" chronicles his years in Bloomington, Indiana. The 100+ photographs that make up the core of this gorgeous book are intense and personal, and include many fine examples of environmental portraiture of which Welpott was a master. Welpott, now in his middle 80s, provides personal anecdotes along with the photographs. He didn't just take "art photographs" - he captured the heart of his subjects. By getting to know the people he photographed and winning their confidence, he gained an understanding of his subjects that would not belie a camera. This strategy served him well, and the photographs in this book richly capture life in rural southern Indiana.