Blake Hall
During World War I, British native and naturalized American citizen Arthur Mole visited 18 military camps with one mission: to recruit thousands of American soldiers to pose in his massive living photographs. Using a 11×14-inch view camera atop an 80-foot tower, Mole created immense works of art using the smiling faces of American servicemen.
Check out this eagle, which is comprised of 12,500 soldiers and nurses.
This one required the cooperation of 25,000.
And this one? 30,000.
Each photo was an enormous feat of human cooperation and unity. It took an entire week to just plan and map out each photograph, and the photography session lasted hours as Mole directed service members using a megaphone and a long pole. Though the process was frustrating and long, the results were always breathtaking.
Today, a full century after the start of World War I, living photographs remain in style.
