BROKEN BOW— Flashbulbs, film, Kodak, and dark rooms—all phrases not often heard anymore when it comes to photography. These days, photography frequently means snapping a quick picture on a cell phone and uploading it to social media.
Despite how photography has changed throughout the years, local photographer Pat Lindner believes it has always been about capturing a significant moment in time.
“The goal of photography is to try to capture the moment in a picture that tells a story,” Lindner said.
Many of Pat Lindner’s beautiful photos of rural landscapes in the Custer County area are currently displayed at the Broken Bow Public Library (626 S D St, Broken Bow, NE 68822). His photos will be on display at the library until Saturday, July 13.
One of the works on display includes a picture of the former Sargent bridge which was washed away in this spring’s floods. The picture was recently featured in the May/June issue of Nebraska Life Magazine. Lindner said the structure was approximately 110 years old and that those types of structures are hard to find these days.
In an interview with KCNI/KBBN, Pat Lindner said the biggest change he has noticed is that in the past, after taking a picture, the film had to be sent off to be developed whereas nowadays, people have instant gratification and can delete an unwanted picture on the spot.
“Back in the day when you had to develop your own film or get it sent off to have it developed. It’s not like it is now with instant gratification. You take a picture now and boom—you upload it to Facebook or Twitter,” Lindner said.
Lindner began taking his own photos after working closely with Dave Birnie at his photography studio in Broken Bow during the mid-1980s. Lindner said he pestered Birnie for a job and said the two had a lot of fun together. Lindner was born and raised in Broken Bow and also worked as a soundboard operator at KCNI/KBBN.
Patience is a must-have quality in the world of photography as Lindner says you might have to shoot something thousands of times before you get the photo you were searching for. He enjoys capturing images of rural settings and landscapes because they are stationary, unlike people or animals, but still have many stories to tell.
“The thing with photography is subject and light, and timing of course,” Lindner told KCNI/KBBN.
Whether you are driving down the road after a spring rain or looking out your window at a sunset, Lindner encourages people to take the time to get out and see the landscape around us. Take time to notice the landscape, clouds, or old farmhouses around us because the scenery is beautiful if you take the time to look, Lindner says.
“In my opinion, there’s too much of society nowadays that wants to get rid of the old and in with the new,” Lindner continued. “These farmhouses for example, you can just imagine the love and the laughter, and the tears, and happiness and sadness that all occurred in that house. And it was a house full of kids, big meals, celebrations.”
Lindner feels life was more celebrated back then than it is today but to keep up with the times, he too has joined the social media movement. A few years ago he started the Facebook pages Natural Nebraska and Memories of Broken Bow where people are encouraged to share pictures and stories of the Broken Bow they knew in the past.
Lindner is excited to have his photos on display and sends out a big thanks to Dave and Joan Birnie and the library. Lindner’s photos will be on display at the Broken Bow Public Library until Saturday, July 13.
Pat Lindner can be reached at “Pat the Cat Photos” by calling 308-870-2025.
