By Claire Filipek ‘15

Photographs of a blue sky with the edge of a fence, a yellow brick wall, the side of a warehouse building, and a tipped over shopping cart lying on the sidewalk line the walls of the Williams Center Art Gallery.

At first glance, these images of Allentown, Pennsylvania look like they are from the discard pile—an unintended shutter click— because of their content. But their large scale invites the viewer to look closely to notice every wisp of a cloud and crack in the pavement.

What details, they encourage you to ask, do I miss in the landscape of everyday life?

Allentown photographer Theo Anderson sets out with his camera and a plan to capture these seemingly mundane scenes with careful attention to color and shape. When discussing this body of work, Anderson often commented on how the interplay of colors and shapes contributed to the success of the composition. As Anderson’s talk progressed, it became easier to pick up on the subtle intricacies of a fleeting moment and the different color palettes that are found in the natural environment.

Anderson never directly stages any of his shots, but instead goes on trips with the intention of finding that moment of flow where his composition comes together. For some of his childhood, Anderson wore an eye patch to strengthen his weak eye. He suspects that taking a trip across the country with his father and seeing the world in a partly hazy manner through the window of a Chevy impala influenced his current life’s work.

Anderson graduated from Temple University in 1974 with a B.A. in political science and was pursuing a doctorate in government at Lehigh University when he bought his first camera. He taught himself how to use it and even built a darkroom in the closet of his apartment. In 1978, he left graduate school to start a career as a photographer.

Anderson has shot many photographs of the Bethlehem steel mills and landscapes of the Midwest.

He sees his work less as social statement than self-discovery. Anderson believes in craftsmanship, intent, and purity. He scoffed at the need for people to share photos through filters on Instagram. He emphasized that the ordinary is often extraordinary when you are able step back and stop to look around. Anderson’s show will be up through February 10 at the Williams Center Art Gallery.