The photographer Ed Morris describes the bicycle as "the perfect vehicle for traveling across the country," and the mayor as the "perfect vehicle for creating a collective portrait of the United States." It's only natural, then, that he would put the two together.His new book, Mayors Across America, documents his 3,600-mile, coast-to-coast bicycle trip, during which he photographed the mayors of the cities through which he passed, and in so doing, underscored something essential about our democratic spirit. Riding 65 miles a day for 59 days, Morris passed through 13 states at a remarkably brisk pace. But he still managed to photograph these men and woman-87 in all-as though he knew them intimately. And if indeed the images create a collective portrait of the country, then said portrait reveals an America that is hopeful, good-humored, and diverse. What follows is a selection from this project.
A shot of the open road, somewhere in Idaho.
Mayor Phyllis Leonard of Harve, Montana, population 9,621.
Mayor Gordon Oelkers of Culberston, Montana, population 716.
Mayor Dallas O'Conor of Poplar, Montana, population 911.
Mayor Marlys Palmer of Cambridge, Minnesota, population 5,520.
Mayor Jay Kimble of Stillwater, Minnesota, population 15,143.
Mayor John Medinger of La Crosse, Wisconsin, population 19,718.
Mayor Steven Whitman of Collum, Illinois, population 563.
Mayor Robert Fox of Monticello, Indiana, population 5,723.
Mayor Anthony Williams of Washington, D.C., population 572,059.
Tim Hovey, who accompanied Morris on the journey, bikes onward below the impressive skyline of the Cascade Mountains.Click here to order a copy of Mayors Across America.--Are you a photographer with a project you would like to share with the GOOD community? Send a brief description and a few sample images (or a link) to photo [at] goodinc [dot] com, and we'll take a look. If we like it, it might end up as one of our Picture Shows. We look forward to your submissions.
