Portraits of Success

Homage to Silicon Valley founders.

Carolyn Caddes‘s book, “Portraits of Success – Impressions of Silicon Valley Pioneers,” is a photographic tribute to the pioneers of Silicon Valley and a document of historical value. Second-hand versions of this beautiful volume are available on Amazon and I’ve had a copy on my shelf for years.

Caddes‘s images are monochromatic, superbly composed and appositely toned. Her portraits distill the essence of the men (and one woman) who stood at the cradle of the technological revolution that gave birth to Silicon Valley. The engineers, scientists, mathematicians, academics, entrepreneurs, lawyers, venture capitalists, publishers, policy makers – dreamers all – who contributed to fundamental advances in semiconductors, computers, and business practice, nurtured the ecosystem, and transformed a placid valley of orchards by the San Francisco Bay into what it is today: the centre of the Internet universe.

Caddes initiated the project in 1982, accreting her material over 4 years. She writes that her catalogue is neither exhaustive nor complete. Nonetheless, there is no question that every one of her 63 subjects has impacted our digital lives in some form. Each entry is accompanied by a short biographical sketch as well as Caddes‘s own impressions of her encounter with the subject.

I think of this book whenever I hear the infantile boasts of Indians in Silicon Valley and beyond – “We created Silicon Valley! Silicon Valley runs because of us! blah blah…” Where do modern Indians get this hubris? Surely not from the Indic traditions which frown on such self-delusion.

And now, a few examples from the book.