W. Scott Olsen, an English professor at Concordia College and an acclaimed photographer, is making headlines with his new projects.
Capturing the quiet beauty of early morning hours, his latest work, "The 6|7 Project," will be on display at the Spirit Room in Fargo from Aug. 5 to Sept. 6.*
This exhibition showcases street photography taken between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m., offering an original glimpse into the morning routines of the Fargo-Moorhead area.
For the year-long documentary project, Olsen chose to use a low-quality Holga lens, giving the images a fuzzy and dreamy look to help capture the mood of the hour.
In a Forum article, Olsen said taking photos like this is complementary to his writing.
“A documentary photo project really is a mirror that’s holding itself up, and my act as a photographer is not only to frame an image, but interpret it and put it in an order that tells a story, as well,” he said. “The very best photos tell a story. Writing and photography are very similar in what you can do for storytelling, but in execution they’re wildly different.”
He also previewed the project on WDAY TV.
This fall, Frames Magazine will be releasing Olsen's “Fargo Street,” a collection of 100 black-and-white street photos of the Fargo-Moorhead area.
The book has garnered high praise from notable photographers, such as National Geographic's Ami Vitale, who wrote, "Fargo, North Dakota is the muse for W. Scott Olsen's black and white meditation on the richness of human experience in all its raw and unfiltered beauty … In the end, what emerges is a black-and-white celebration of life in all its colors — a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, the enduring beauty of nature, and the interconnectedness of all things."
In an interview with Prairie Public Radio, Olsen described being drawn to capturing images of everyday life.
“Street culture is the kind of place where people are unguarded, where they are unapologetic,” he said. “They're just being themselves outdoors.”
In addition, Olsen is preparing a pilgrimage of sorts for an upcoming book, "Three Days in Paris.” The book will combine narrative and images that pay homage to the birthplace of street photography.
*There is an opening reception and artist talk for “The 6|7 Project” at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 8.