Photographs ©Christian Reister

The premise is pretty simple and has been done numerous times, but I still think it’s challenging to create these type of street portraits, and when done I tend to find them interesting.  You can view a few more after the jump

reister-images.de

“An exploration of American History, kept alive betweens lines of culture and commerce, balancing authenticity and imitation in the pursuit of personal identity and profit. American history exists today as an alternate reality; it’s something fantastic to think about, to wander, to live in. Commercialized images of cowboys and indians sell a solidified stereotype of the American past, and we find them in the movies, or in storybooks, or in the toy store. Individuals ridden with nostalgia seek also to re-create the past, but with a determination for authenticity and honor. In either case, it appears that we are creating or preserving a reality that is no longer are own.”

Jonathan Young is a student graduating in December of 2010 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in Photojournalism.

jonathanbyoung.com