#Western Photography##Western Photography##Gansu Modern Photography Society##Photography#
On September 9, 2019, Robert Frank died in Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada, at the age of 94. As one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century, his visual language and personal style changed the direction of American photography and the direction of photography in the world. He is the spiritual mentor of countless photographers.
The world of documentary photography in the second half of the 20th century was the period when Bresson's "decisive moment" and "objective photography" dominated the world. Robert Frank changed the direction of modern photography with his first photo book, The Americans, and his practice of "subjective photography" and "indecisive moments" had a profound impact on later photographers.
For a freelance photographer, in addition to shooting some necessary photo orders to solve the livelihood, he is basically free to choose his favorite subject. At this time, the daily life of all sentient beings in the modern metropolis of New York, the relationship between modern cities and urbanites, and the charm of the city itself became the first choice of this photographer who cares intrinsically about the state of human existence.
In 1955, Frank embarked on an epic journey in a battered used Ford. Although he traveled extensively throughout the United States, his main shooting locations were mostly in major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Chicago. Frank, with the sober spectator of a "foreigner", made an in-depth observation of American urban civilization.
The content he shoots is basically in public spaces, including passers-by, political rallies, drive-in theaters, churches, parks, etc. He photographs men and women that others disdain, or defines them in terms of symbols and objects. He traveled from city to city, photographing passers-by, vagrants, newlyweds, Christian crosses, jukeboxes, mailboxes, coffins, televisions, numerous cars, and countless flags.
Frank, with the sober spectator of a "foreigner", made an in-depth observation of American urban civilization. In a letter to his parents, he wrote: "I work hard not just to take pictures, but to give a point in my American photographs. The United States is an interesting country, but there are many things here that I don't like and will definitely not accept. I also try to show this in the photo." After two years of shooting, he selected 83 photographs from more than 20,000 negatives and collected them into a photo book called "The Americans". But this epoch-making photo book was first published in France
Like a prophetic image prophecy, "The American" broke the reality of America's spiritual desolation, and this book changed the trend of modern photography and was called the "bible" of modern photography. Robert Frank redefined the contemporary language of photography and was the "godfather" of modern American photography.
The following images are shown in the order in which they are in The American
Footer: Subject: Family
After taking that crucial bus photo in New Orleans, Frank travels to Houston, where his wife Mary and two children, Pablo, Andrea meets. As he said in his letter to Evans, the advantage of family travel is that it will no longer be casually arrested.
The family travels from Houston to Del Rio and then north to Santa Fe. Along the way, he snaps a family photo used at the end of the book: Mary holding Andrea (all you can see is a bunch of her hair), with Pablo lying next to her. They are all bleary-eyed, and they should be suffering from illness and long journeys. By this time, the two children's anticipation of travel had already turned into tiredness. Frank stood outside the car, perhaps at this time he made up his mind to engage in art and never take his family with him again. Of that trip, Mary later recalled, "We lived a bohemian life. I don't know where I'm going or where I'm staying. Texas is windy and snowy, and you can't find a place to eat. The child is sick and has no place to wash diapers. She herself fell ill.
In addition to photographing the representative industrial and social issues of the United States at that time, Frank does not mention an American symbol throughout the book, that is, religion in the United States, the United States is a religious country, and the crosses representing religious beliefs can be seen everywhere in "American".
The New Orleans Tram, on the cover of the first edition of The American, in which blacks and whites could only ride in different carriages, depicted racial segregation in the United States.
Robert Frank, after publishing his work The Americans, proposed the theory of "non-decisive moments" and openly opposed Bresson. The unique perspective and expressive style of his work caused an uproar, and he even accused Bresson of ignoring the prosaic, non-dramatic moments of reality
Photo: Network
Edit: Glow