Annie Burke: Vermont's Great Dairy Woman
I just learned that Annie Burke passed away on April 11. This iconic Vermont farmer was the subject of many memorable photographs. She was, in a word, a photographer's dream. I was visiting with Ethan Hubbard, looking at some of his prized images of Vermonters, when I learned of Annie's death. Ethan had three of her in his collection; all of them beauties. Why is it that some people don't photograph well and some don't photograph poorly? The Hollywood 'screen test' is very real; some people 'light up the lens.' Most of us have what we call 'a good angle' for the lens. I took a portrait of a woman recently who told me to take her image “from above, with me fully facing the lens.” She was right, of course; all the planes and parts of her face fell beautifully into place from that perspective. Other views couldn't compare. Annie Burke was that rare sort who photographed beautifully from every angle. Such persons are exceedingly uncommon. I cannot, in fact, recall photographing another like her. I photographed Annie many times at the Tunbridge World's Fair, her favorite in all of Vermont. A natural teamster, she would often be standing with her charges watching the ring, awaiting her turn. She was born in Connecticut, but she was no flatlander; her image is quintessentially Vermont.
I last photographed Annie Burke at the 2008 Dairy Luncheon of the Vermont Farm Show in Barre. Tim Calabro and I had set up a small photo booth into which we invited farmers to step for a portrait as they passed on their way to the buffet. The images were to be collectively used as “the face of farming in Vermont” for The Herald's farm show supplement the following year. Annie Burke was the last to be photographed that day. True to form, she didn't disappoint. While all the others, about 50, simply walked in front of the lens and consented to being photographed, Annie made an event of her moment. Springing over to a neighboring table, she grabbed a bunch of balloons, and pulled them into the frame. Then, just as I started shooting, she deflected the attention, pointing to the simple “got milk?” message at her side. This is vintage Annie Burke, and it is the way I remember her; happily drawing our eye to the one she's with, and looking marvelous in the meantime. |
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