Today’s Post by Joe Farace, photo by Mary Farace
Canada’s Labour Day is celebrated on the first Monday of September. More than 80 countries, such as France, celebrate International Workers’ Day on May 1 that is the old European holiday of May Day and several other countries have chosen their own individual dates for a Labor Day.
In the United States, Labor Day is a federal holiday that’s celebrated on the first Monday of September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the country. Beginning in the late 19th century, as trade union and labor movements grew, trade unionists proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate labor. “Labor Day” was promoted by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, which organized the first parade in New York City. In 1887, Oregon was the first state of the United States to make it an official public holiday. By the time it became an official federal holiday in 1894, thirty states in the U.S. officially celebrated Labor Day.
For many people, Labor Day is generally thought of as a day commemorating the last throes of summer (although that actually won’t officially happen until September 22) and is celebrated by people having cookouts on the grille and generally kicking back and enjoying having a Monday off. Interestingly, Mary, who made today’s featured photograph, has to work that day.
How Mary Made this Image: Mary photographed this welder as part of a commercial assignment our studio had for a heavy equipment company’s brochure emphasizing the services they provide to their customers. It was shot with a Hasselblad 500EL and (I think) Carl Zeiss 150mm f/4 as part of series that she bracketed at different shutter speeds. Electronic flash was used as the main light. Shot on film with Kodak Ektachrome. Exposure unrecorded
For another look at what Labor Day means to me, along with a tribute to my Dad, please visit my car photography blog and click on this post for some cherished memories of my father.