I’ve long been fascinated by the tradition of the road trip in photography, partly thanks to the work of some of my early photographic influences notably Walker Evans, Robert Frank, Joel Sternfeld and of course Stephen Shore. All have employed extended journeys as an avenue for exploring America’s cultural landscape. Interestingly, Shore is just about to publish a new book with Phaidon aptly titled Stephen Shore: A Road Trip Journal

Similarly many writers and artists have also made extensive journeys to produce work, from H.V. Morton’s In Search of England and JB Priestley’s English Journey to Daniel Defoe’s Tour through the Whole Island of Great Britain and Patrick Keiller’s film Robinson in Space.  In his diaries, J.M.W. Turner talks about extended summer trips around England, where he’d take time to visit his patrons and undertake new commissions.  He worked in areas that attracted well-to-do summer tourists and their families, sketching scenes they might like to remember and admire again in watercolours.

Here’s an article from the New York Times in 2004 called Travels With Walker, Robert and Andy about the ”on the road” tradition in photography.

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