Birney Imes Columbus, Mississippi, b. 1951

Birney Imes is well known for his intimate portraits of life in the South, and his photographs have been compared to renowned practitioners such as Eudora Welty and William Eggleston. Featured among his subjects are juke joints, restaurants, and portraits of individuals. Tameka and Tyrone, Near Vicksburg, Mississippi (1989) is a portrait of two young children, perhaps brother and sister who are tenderly positioned in front of the camera. The young girl is sitting on a pool table with her arm around the boy and resting her head on his shoulder. They both appear comfortable in front of the camera, Imes was known for putting his subjects at ease. This photograph is in the collection of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans and is a prime example of his representation of life in the Mississippi Delta.