At the Workbench with Oscar

With tools we often think productivity, not artistry. We reach for them to build, fix, or improve. They’re important aspects of human development: creations we’ve designed for more creation. It’s easy to overlook the form of our tools, and only focus on functionally.

With his series, At the Work Bench, Oscar has done the exact opposite. Bringing his camera into the workshop, his tools are treated like beautiful subjects shaped by decades of wear and purpose. Several were his late father’s, mementos of both family and craft.

Oscar uses window light throughout the day to catch different angles of detail. When needed he shines supplemental light via a flashlight, but the setup remains simple. His choices in composition emphasize the shape and curve of objects. He’s gone a step further with a few of the images by adding motion blur, compositing, and even the effects of dry ice to illustrate the usability of the tools. Objects associated with grit and “getting things done” are showcased in dynamic still life imagery. We love this paradox.

Our modern world can be deeply disconnected and abstract. Tools bring us into the present and enable real-time, tactile creation. And, while many of us do have digital cameras, and this is a digital platform, we like to think photography accomplishes the same thing.

It feels like a great combination. Thanks for sharing this series with us, Oscar!