Oil Refinery, Tema, Ghana, from Portfolio Three

In its monumentality, this elegantly composed, shining oil refinery tank embodies the promises of industrial modernity. It comes from Strand’s photobook Ghana: An African Portrait. Traveling around post-independence Ghana for three months, Strand captured photos of the country’s citizens, landscapes, and rising industry. In his book, Strand arranged portraits of Ghanaians next to scenes of thriving industry, utilizing the imagery of factories and steelworks to convey a sense of progress and modernity.