Marc St. Gil

Photography Appreciation

In the 70s, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) incentivized photographers to be photojournalists and capture images of environmental concerns. The program was called Documerica, and there's about over 15,000 35mm color slides and black and white negatives and prints at the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.

One of those photojournalists was Marc St. Gil. I came across his photographs while searching the Flickr Commons.

To be honest, I was looking for a kissing picture for a blog entry I was thinking about writing. The photo I found was that of a couple on the bank of the Frio River kissing. When I opened the photo, I noticed many more pictures taken by St. Gil. I was intrigued.

In addition to his assignment of capturing environmental hazards, St. Gil captured life in a small town, west of San Antonio, Texas.

Below are just a few of my favorites.

Chemical Plant, Corpus Christi, Texas 11/1972 via usnationalarchives

Olin Mathieson Chemical Plant on Far Side of Lake 07/1972 via usnationalarchives

A Resident of Leakey, Texas, near San Antonio, 05/1973 via usnationalarchives

Ranch Hand Who Works in the Area near Leakey, Texas, near San Antonio 05/1973 via usnationalarchives 

Man Who Prepares Fur Skins for Market in a Buyers' Shed Has Skins Hanging Overhead in Leakey, Texas, near San Antonio, 12/1973 via usnationalarchives

Woodrow Wilson, One of Leakey's Local Characters, in His Pickup. He Never Works, But Sits Staring at the River on the Outskirts of Town from 7 A.M. To Sunset 06/1972 via usnationalarchives

Young Woman from San Antonio, Texas, Who Spends Her Vacations in Leakey, Texas, Because She Likes the People and Has Many Friends in the Town. Near San Antonio 12/1973 via usnationalarchives 

One Girl Smokes Pot While Her Friend Watches During an Outing in Cedar Woods near Leakey, Texas. (Taken with Permission) near San Antonio. One of Nine Pictures 05/1973 via usnationalarchives

Teenage Couple Embrace on the Bank of the Frio Canyon River near Leakey, Texas, and San Antonio 05/1973 via usnationalarchives

Sources: http://www.theseamericans.com/galleries/documerica-project/marc-st-gil/; http://tomclarkblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/marc-st-gil-wading-in-water-leakey-texas.html; http://austinist.com/2012/10/10/marc_st_gils_finest_shots_from_his.php#photo-1; http://hunguponretro.blogspot.com/2012/06/documerica-project-photographs-by-marc.html; http://www.lowellmickwhite.com/1/category/marc%20st%20gil/1.html