In the midst of putting the final edits of Atlanta together late last year, I got a copy of Mark Steinmetz’s book Greater Atlanta – the third book of his amazing Southern Trilogy. While Atlanta might seem like a pretty good title for a book, Greater Atlanta has got to be an even better one. Mostly because most of what happens in Atlanta happens in ‘Greater Atlanta’ – technically other cities – places like Decatur, Stone Mountain, and College Park.

From Greater Atlanta

Mark Steinmetz

Mark Steinmetz

And then this year, The University Press Of Mississippi published Oraien Catledge’s Photographs, a collection of work by a Decatur photographer who’s been mostly unknown outside of Atlanta (also self taught and legally blind). His 1985 book Cabbagetown has been out of print for years. It’s great to look at Steinmetz’s pictures alongside Catledge’s – both have a quiet warmth and simplicity – some might call it ‘Southern’.


From Oraien Catledge: Photographs

Oraien Catledge

From Oraien Catledge: Photographs

And then it’s hard not to talk about Cabbagetown without mentioning Michael Ackerman’s photographs from there, from the late 90′s – not warm, or quiet.

Michael Ackerman

Michael Ackerman

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