Carolyn Russo took nine years to compile her exhibition of airport control towers around the world. She visited many while on vacation or other business. "I love the Edinburgh tower," she says. "It was on my wish list for years. There was a conference there, so I submitted a paper to the conference."
Edinburgh —
Carolyn Russo took nine years to compile her exhibition of airport control towers around the world. She visited many while on vacation or other business. "I love the Edinburgh tower," she says. "It was on my wish list for years. There was a conference there, so I submitted a paper to the conference."
Carolyn Russo/Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Russo says she was inspired on her quest to track down different towers after spotting La Guardia's through a plane window. "The texture of the tower was the creamy, vanilla-looking concrete with big circular windows. I just said 'holy crap, it looks like Swiss cheese,' and at that moment ... it just hit me."
La Guardia (New York) —
Russo says she was inspired on her quest to track down different towers after spotting La Guardia's through a plane window. "The texture of the tower was the creamy, vanilla-looking concrete with big circular windows. I just said 'holy crap, it looks like Swiss cheese,' and at that moment ... it just hit me."
Carolyn Russo/Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
"When I went to photograph a tower I did a ton of research," says Russo. "But when you get there, it was not only trying to make a portrait of this tower it was like going out there and meeting an old friend."
Stockholm Arlanda —
"When I went to photograph a tower I did a ton of research," says Russo. "But when you get there, it was not only trying to make a portrait of this tower it was like going out there and meeting an old friend."
Carolyn Russo/Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Russo says she sees the towers as "choreographers" of the airport. "I don't like to say the world godlike, but I did see them as these intelligent structures keeping humans safe."
Abu Dhabi International —
Russo says she sees the towers as "choreographers" of the airport. "I don't like to say the world godlike, but I did see them as these intelligent structures keeping humans safe."
Carolyn Russo/Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
The only tower in the world shaped like a crescent, Abu Dhabi International evokes the sail of a local dhow boat.
Abu Dhabi International —
The only tower in the world shaped like a crescent, Abu Dhabi International evokes the sail of a local dhow boat.
Carolyn Russo/Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
"For me personally I tried to read more into these towers, to elevate them beyond these architectural structures," says Russo.
Ronald Reagan Washington National —
"For me personally I tried to read more into these towers, to elevate them beyond these architectural structures," says Russo.
Carolyn Russo/Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Russo, who has worked as a photographer with the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum for 27 years, says she's photographed 100 towers in 23 countries, although only 85 were used to compile her book and exhibition.
Oslo —
Russo, who has worked as a photographer with the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum for 27 years, says she's photographed 100 towers in 23 countries, although only 85 were used to compile her book and exhibition.
Carolyn Russo/Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Russo says her project was completed piecemeal over the years. "I wasn't zipping around the world," she says. "We didn't have the budget for it in the beginning, all the sponsors came in at the end."<br />
Fort Worth Alliance (Texas) —
Russo says her project was completed piecemeal over the years. "I wasn't zipping around the world," she says. "We didn't have the budget for it in the beginning, all the sponsors came in at the end."
Carolyn Russo/Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
"I wanted to bring awareness to these structures," Russo says. "Not only how beautiful they are but also the business of air traffic control. Air travelers are vaguely aware of this complex system. The only manifestation of it is these towers, even though a lot of air traffic control goes on elsewhere in the country. I wanted to give a nod to the unsung heroes of aviation in doing this."
Edwards Air Force Base (California) —
"I wanted to bring awareness to these structures," Russo says. "Not only how beautiful they are but also the business of air traffic control. Air travelers are vaguely aware of this complex system. The only manifestation of it is these towers, even though a lot of air traffic control goes on elsewhere in the country. I wanted to give a nod to the unsung heroes of aviation in doing this."
Carolyn Russo/Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
"It's the sky that makes the picture too," says Russo of her near-monochrome images of aviation structures. "It's the tower and what's going on in the sky."
Birmingham (UK) —
"It's the sky that makes the picture too," says Russo of her near-monochrome images of aviation structures. "It's the tower and what's going on in the sky."
Carolyn Russo/Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
"Working internationally was fantastic," she says. "But it was a lot of work getting access. At London Heathrow I had to have an insurance certificate for $20 million just to be on the tarmac. LAX was also an expensive one."
Al-Maktoum International (Dubai, UAE) —
"Working internationally was fantastic," she says. "But it was a lot of work getting access. At London Heathrow I had to have an insurance certificate for $20 million just to be on the tarmac. LAX was also an expensive one."
Carolyn Russo/Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
"I viewed towers as symbolic, as cultural greeters. When you fly in, the first thing you see is the tower before you get to the city," says Russo.
Dubai International —
"I viewed towers as symbolic, as cultural greeters. When you fly in, the first thing you see is the tower before you get to the city," says Russo.
Carolyn Russo/Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Russo's collection also includes decommissioned towers, with the hope that highlighting them will help conservation efforts. "To me these are eyewitnesses to a bygone era of aviation, they're like these wise structures that have seen it all."
Barcelona El Prat —
Russo's collection also includes decommissioned towers, with the hope that highlighting them will help conservation efforts. "To me these are eyewitnesses to a bygone era of aviation, they're like these wise structures that have seen it all."
Carolyn Russo/Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Among them is one of her favorites, a wartime naval air tower in East Fortune, Scotland. "It's a low concrete building out in the middle of a wheat field and the farmer uses it to park his tractor. It's really beautiful and I found it by chance."<br />
East Fortune (Scotland) —
Among them is one of her favorites, a wartime naval air tower in East Fortune, Scotland. "It's a low concrete building out in the middle of a wheat field and the farmer uses it to park his tractor. It's really beautiful and I found it by chance."
Carolyn Russo/Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum