John F. Vachon was a prolific and immensely talented American photographer. He worked as a filing clerk for the Farm Security Administration before Roy Stryker recruited him to join a small group of photographers, including Esther Bubley, Marjory Collins,Mary Post Wolcott, Jack Delano, Arthur Rothstein, Walker Evans, Russell Lee, Gordon Parks, Charlotte Brooks, Carl Mydans,Dorothea Lange and Ben Shahn, who were employed to publicize the conditions of the rural poor in America.
Vachon worked briefly for DOCUMERICA, documenting pollution scenes in Puerto Rico, which you can see below.
Puerto Rico is an archipelago that includes the main island of Puerto Rico and a number of smaller islands. The capital and largest city is San Juan. The territory does not observe daylight saving time, and its official languages are Spanish, which is predominant, and English. The island’s population is approximately 3.6 million.
Puerto Rico lies at the boundary between the Caribbean and North American plates and is being deformed by the tectonic stresses caused by their interaction. These stresses may cause earthquakes and tsunamis. These seismic events, along with landslides, represent some of the most dangerous geologic hazards in the island and in the northeastern Caribbean.
Check out the collection below:
A Farmer Clears His Land with a Machete. Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
A Mountain Farmhouse 02.1973 Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
A New Toll Road Is Being Built between San Juan and Ponce. This Section Is at Cayey. Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
Abandoned Car Off Highway in Rio Grande. Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
Aguadilla. Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
Atlantic-Beach. Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
Boat Launching From Luguillo Beach. Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
Caribbean Coastline. Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
Caribbean Harbor Outside.Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
Father and Son Fishing on Isla De Cabras.Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
Father and Sons Fill Their Containers at the Community Water-Pump. This Is a Mountain Farming Area.Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
Luguillo-Beach.Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
Luguillo-Beach.Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
Modern-Buildings-Tower-over-the-Shanties-Crowded-Along-the-Martin-Pena-Canal.Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
Modern-Buildings-Tower-over-the-Shanties-Crowded-Along-the-Martin-Pena-Canal.Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
Mountain-Farm.Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
New-High-Rise-Apartments-on-Southern-Outskirt-of-the-City.Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
Oil-Pipe line-on-the-Beach.Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
Oil-Refinery-in-the-Sunset. Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
Palo-Seco-Electric-Power-Plant-in-the-Background.Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
Sign-on-Bridge-near-Ppg-Plant-Protests-Air-Pollution.Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
Sugar-Refinery.-Trucks-Bring-in-Freshly-Cut-Cane.Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
Sugar-Refinery. Taken in February 1973, by John Vachon, DOCUMERICA, U.S National Archive
