John V. Robinson
Encyclopedia
John V. Robinson is an American photographer who specializes in photographing heavy construction work with a focus on bridge construction and the men and women who do the work. Robinson goes onto construction sites and does detailed photo essays of the iron workers, pile drivers, carpenters, laborers, and crane operators who do this demanding and dangerous work. He frequently collects oral histories of the workers.
Robinson also does freelance photography work and his construction shots are frequently published in San Francisco Bay Area newspapers, used in calendars, and used in advertising campaigns of construction and engineering firms. John Robinson's photo-essays on bridge construction have been published in three books and his photographs regularly appear in professional and trade journals like The Ironworker and Engineering News Record.
John Robinson was educated at U.C. Berkeley where he took a B.A. in English Literature in 1995. He went on to San Francisco State University
where in 1998 he earned a Master's Degree in English Literature. After finishing graduate school in 1998 Robinson begin teaching at Diablo Valley College
in Pleasant Hill, CA and Las Positas College
in Livermore CA.
While a student at U.C. Berkeley Robinson developed in interest in the folklore of working men and women. He studied folklore with the Berkeley folklorist Alan Dundes
and developed a close friendship with eminent folklorist Archie Green
.
He began his study of bridge builders in 1995 by interviewing the famed bridge builder Alfred Zampa. In 1999 he merged his interests in photography and folklore and began photographing construction workers for an article he was researching on the labor-lore tradition called topping-out. This article was published in Western Folklore in 2001 and has been widely cited by others writing on the topping-out custom.
In 2001 Robinson began photographing the construction of Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge and in 2004 published his first book, Spanning the Strait: Building the Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge. The success of Spanning the Strait brought Robinson's work to the attention of contractors, transportation agencies, and engineering firms, who have commissioned him to do other large construction projects. In 2007 two such long-term projects resulted in the publication of Building the Benicia-Martinez Bridge and Bridging the Tacoma Narrows. Both books are published by Carquinez Press.
The publication of his books and articles have led Robinson to be interviewed for such shows as: Modern Marvels "Oakland Bay Bridge," and National Geographic Channel's "Break it Down: Bridge."
In 2006 Robinson was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship
in the field of folklore
to study the traditions of high-steel iron workers. In 2007 he received a grant from the California Council for the Humanities for his photography project on the demolition of the 1927 Carquinez Bridge
. A book on the demolition of the 1927 Carquinez Bridge is reportedly forthcoming.
Robinson also does freelance photography work and his construction shots are frequently published in San Francisco Bay Area newspapers, used in calendars, and used in advertising campaigns of construction and engineering firms. John Robinson's photo-essays on bridge construction have been published in three books and his photographs regularly appear in professional and trade journals like The Ironworker and Engineering News Record.
John Robinson was educated at U.C. Berkeley where he took a B.A. in English Literature in 1995. He went on to San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
where in 1998 he earned a Master's Degree in English Literature. After finishing graduate school in 1998 Robinson begin teaching at Diablo Valley College
Diablo Valley College
Diablo Valley College is a two-year community college in Pleasant Hill in Contra Costa County, California.DVC is one of three publicly supported two-year community colleges in the Contra Costa Community College District , and was first opened in 1949...
in Pleasant Hill, CA and Las Positas College
Las Positas College
Las Positas College is a community college located in Livermore, California, United States, on . It began as an extension program of Chabot College in 1963, offering 24 classes and enrolling 810 students at three sites, including Livermore High School...
in Livermore CA.
While a student at U.C. Berkeley Robinson developed in interest in the folklore of working men and women. He studied folklore with the Berkeley folklorist Alan Dundes
Alan Dundes
Alan Dundes, was a folklorist at the University of California, Berkeley. His work was said to have been central to establishing the study of folklore as an academic discipline. He wrote 12 books, both academic and popular, and edited or co-wrote two dozen more...
and developed a close friendship with eminent folklorist Archie Green
Archie Green
Archie Green was a folklorist specializing in laborlore and American folk music. Devoted to understanding vernacular culture, he gathered and commented upon the speech, stories, songs, emblems, rituals, art, artifacts, memorials, and landmarks which constitute laborlore...
.
He began his study of bridge builders in 1995 by interviewing the famed bridge builder Alfred Zampa. In 1999 he merged his interests in photography and folklore and began photographing construction workers for an article he was researching on the labor-lore tradition called topping-out. This article was published in Western Folklore in 2001 and has been widely cited by others writing on the topping-out custom.
In 2001 Robinson began photographing the construction of Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge and in 2004 published his first book, Spanning the Strait: Building the Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge. The success of Spanning the Strait brought Robinson's work to the attention of contractors, transportation agencies, and engineering firms, who have commissioned him to do other large construction projects. In 2007 two such long-term projects resulted in the publication of Building the Benicia-Martinez Bridge and Bridging the Tacoma Narrows. Both books are published by Carquinez Press.
The publication of his books and articles have led Robinson to be interviewed for such shows as: Modern Marvels "Oakland Bay Bridge," and National Geographic Channel's "Break it Down: Bridge."
In 2006 Robinson was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
in the field of folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
to study the traditions of high-steel iron workers. In 2007 he received a grant from the California Council for the Humanities for his photography project on the demolition of the 1927 Carquinez Bridge
Carquinez Bridge
The Carquinez Bridge refers to parallel bridges spanning the Carquinez Strait, forming part of Interstate 80 between Crockett and Vallejo, California. The name originally referred to a single cantilever bridge built in 1927, helping to form a direct route between San Francisco and Sacramento. A...
. A book on the demolition of the 1927 Carquinez Bridge is reportedly forthcoming.
Books
- Spanning the Strait: Building the Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge. Crockett, CA: Carquinez Press. (2004)
- Crockett. San Francisco: Arcadia Publishing. (2004)
- Al Zampa and the Bay Area Bridges. San Francisco: Arcadia Publishing. (2005)
- Port Costa. San Francisco: Arcadia Publishing. (2007)
- Bridging the Tacoma Narrows. Crockett, CA: Carquinez Press. (2007)
- Building the Benicia-Martinez Bridge. Crockett, CA: Carquinez Press. (2007)