All About Focus: Truckers Photo Series

Photographer David Norbut likes to capture moments in real time, whether it’s portraying faces or places. In his truckers’ photo series, showcased on these pages, the Wilmington resident focused on stark, black-and-white portraits of the seasoned drivers who maneuver their powerful rigs on our highways. “I am drawn to the faces of regular men, the everyday working man,” Norbut says. “I want to share the beauty in everyday people.” While he uses a variety of cameras and film stock, including color if it’s called for, he’s been experimenting with Hipstamatic on his iPhone for projects like the truckers. “It was almost an accident. It just came together,” he says. “It’s less intrusive. And it’s what you always have with you.” He discovered several of the truckers while working a second job on the waterfront. “I drive a forklift to help make ends meet,” he explains. “There’s a lot going on around the Port of Wilmington.” Norbut’s love of photography started when he was young. He remembers being fascinated with the pictures in his history books in earlier grades and the boxes of photos he discovered at his parents’ and grandparents’ homes. In high school, he took an introductory photography class and built his own pinhole camera. He still speaks in awe about developing his film. “I would go into the dark room and see another reality come to life before me,” he says. Norbut, who will turn 33 on Feb. 16, went on to study at the Delaware College of Art and Design. He also credits his interest in the average Joe to his taste in music. “I listen to Bruce Springsteen on a regular basis. He’s one of my favorite musicians,” he says. “It fits into what I believe. I grew up in a working-class family.” He is currently working on a pictorial family tree and just shot a photo of his grandfather. “I got great results,” says Norbut, who is married and has a large extended family. “It’s huge. It’s going to take years.”  In the meantime, Norbut is keeping busy with other projects. His photographs have been featured in publications like The New York Times and on websites like Huffington Post. Some of his other works—from soulful musicians to active Barcelona street scenes—can be viewed on his website, www.dnorphoto.com.