April 1940. "Victorian house. Dubuque, Iowa." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size.

April 1940. "Earl May seed store in Marshalltown, Iowa." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size.

April 1940. "Earl May seed store. Marshalltown, Iowa." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size.

That's what I like to imagine my future-brother-in-law was telling me as the showdown is about to come in our poker hand here in the living room of our home in Larkspur, California. The "shut up" part was, of course, something I was familiar with hearing often enough from others in non-wagering situations. At my side I had a glass with a finger of root beer, playing the part of whiskey, to emulate (pay homage to?) the saloon scenes in the old cowboy movies I'd watch on TV Saturday mornings. He became my brother-in-law in actuality two years later, and passed away just two months ago. Rest in peace, old friend. My sister took this 2¼" square Kodacolor negative. View full size.

April 1940. Click. Another selfie of photographer John Vachon, last seen here, in the mirror of his Dubuque hotel room in bed in his stripey PJ's. View full size.

April 1940. "Lady signaling operator on old-style telephone. Scranton, Iowa." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size.

April 1940. "Home in Scranton, Iowa. Closing sliding door to little-used parlor." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size.

April 1940. "Abandoned boat along Mississippi River waterfront. Dubuque, Iowa." Photobomb by the A.A. Cooper Wagon & Buggy Co. Acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size.

May 1940. "Danish farm home. Monona County, Iowa." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size.

April 1940. "Gas station at night. Dubuque, Iowa." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size.

September 1941. "Freight trains in yards. Laramie, Wyoming." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.

September 1941. "Russell Gulch, ghost mining town near Central City, Colorado." Medium format negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.

July 1942. Washington, D.C. "Sunday in Rock Creek Park. Girl sleeping in a car." Medium format acetate negative by Marjory Collins for the Office of War Information. View full size.

September 1941. Waterloo, Nebraska. "Eggs of Two Rivers Non-Stock Cooperative. At the present time co-op eggs are marketed through large cafes, restaurants and eating houses, and various hospitals and institutions. The demand for the co-op's premium eggs is in excess of supply." Photo by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.

September 1941. Waterloo, Nebraska. "George Leaver, president; Don Shinaut, treasurer; Russell Smith, director; Henry Wollen and Jay Rowell, board of directors of Two River (FSA) Non-Stock Cooperative, looking at demonstration of Farmall 'M' tractor." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.