Arnold Odermatt is a Swiss police photographer who is best known for his black and white photographs of car accidents. What I like most about these photographs is how they convey a story and slight personality simply from their point of view/angle and depth of field. As well, the images are crisply and carefully framed as to preserve nothing more and nothing less than needs to be seen. Odermatt varies his composition from box to more traditional vertical and horizontal. Box images such as the ones here on the right seem to draw they eye into the actual vehicular damage. The images on the left, which are in more traditional shapes seem to utilize backdrop and long depth of field better. Odermatt's car photos exploit contrast in a way of depicting the crunchy, raw nature of the crashes. Along with contrast, I believe textures- either from grass, pavement, and weather conditions of the accident provide a very vivid idea of what may have happened in these scene. But the work is even strong in the ambiguity: the fact that it forces the viewer to attempt to rationalize the crash is incredibly insightful.
Odermatt's images relate directly to my work. I found Odermatt's work after starting to rethink my miniature car photographs project that some of you might have seen. I don't know why, but as a photographer I am interested by tragedy and I incorporate my childhood memories of building and destroying toy cars and other toy figures into my work. Memory is a strong part of my work, and certainly I like to believe it is a strong part of Odermatt's as well. I wish I had his job...that would be awesome.
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