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A national portrait archive documenting America one community at a time.
The
Americans
A national portrait archive documenting America one community at a time.
MAR 2025-
PRESENT
Touring the united states through 2029
The Americans
is a collection of
who we are.
Right now.
With multiple stops planned in each of the 50 states, this project is gathering evidence, through portraits and oral histories, of what American identity is made of.
StoryLine
Their stories. Their words.
Every subject gets the chance to add their voice to the archive through the StoryLine – an oral history call-in line just for The Americans. Away from the camera, away from the crowd.
Preview some of these stories here.
Transcripts are auto-generated and may contain errors.
The Team
Behind the Archive
Aaron Patton
Founder & Photographer
Aaron Patton is a commercial and editorial portrait photographer from Kansas. His clients include Warner Bros. Discovery, Pfizer, FILA, and People Magazine. In 2025, he founded The Americans to create a permanent portrait archive of contemporary American life.
More at aaronpatton.net
Christina Patton
Field Producer
Christina keeps the wheels moving and oversees logistics, subject coordination, and day-to-day field operations, helping guide the project through communities across the country while documenting the journey behind the scenes.
Bismarck, ND
Baton Rouge, LA
Grand Junction, CO