Clarence John Laughlin was born on August 14, 1905, in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Five years later he moved to New Orleans, which is where he grew up and would spend most of his life taking photographs. He dropped out of high school at a young age, but regardless he had a profound interest in literature and dreamt of becoming a writer. He considered himself a writer first and a photographer second surprisingly. Through taking photos, Laughlin used this as a form of visual poetry, so that he could combine what he loved doing. Laughlin began photography during the Great Depression and made a living as an architectural photographer. However, he was greatly influenced by Eugène Atget, a pioneer of documentary photography. This is why Laughlin is primarily known for his photographs of decaying antebellum architecture that spread across New Orleans.

Laughlin approached photography with a romantic, experimental eye, which was different than those around him that focused on realism and social documentary. Because of this, his works rapidly gained attention from the public and eventually, he would be dubbed “The Father of American Surrealism.” Laughlin would constantly challenge the bounds of photography throughout his life through experimentations in his photo subjects and during printing. Many of his photos used double exposures, mirrors, and costumed figures to create an ethereal effect in his photography. He was innovative and many people followed in his footsteps. Up until the end of his career, he helped to pave the way for future generations to grow and experiment with photography and prove that there is unlimited potential as long as someone had the ambition.

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