Luke Swank's photographs tell the story of
steel from the point of view of a man who lived among the
mills, knew the human concerns of the workers, and had the
ability to separate the characteristic from the spectacular.
This collection of 18 vintage silver prints was taken at
Franklin Borough steel mill in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
Born in Johnstown, Swank was first a
farmer, then a trainer of police dogs, and, finally, at the age
of 40, a photographer. He sold his first photograph of a local
steel mill in 1930 and went on to document the circus, urban
life, and the rural architecture of central Pennsylvania. In
1935 he was hired as the University of Pittsburgh's official
photographer and developed the first college-level courses in
photojournalism. In 1940 he became the photographer for H.J.
Heinz Company and published widely in the popular magazines of
the era. His work was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in
1932 in Murals by American Painters and Photographers.
