Robert Frank

Robert Frank, Indianapolis, 1956, gelatin silver print, image, 8 5/8 x 13", paper, 11 x 14" frame, 16 1/2 x 20 1/2 x 1 1/2"

Robert Frank is a documentary filmmaker and photographer who immigrated to America. Even though he wasn’t labeled as a documentary photographer his photos reflect that aesthetic. There is a certain aspect of movement within the photos that feel natural. This realistic feeling is even in his posed photography. The photos he takes merely reflects the world that we live in. His rendering of American life provided many perspectives of many different people. His pure out look that went along with this project can be due to his immigrate perspective. His perspective of being an American and living in America was most likely not an average one. This mindset allowed him to branch out his reach to feature people in different communities. People of different ages and in different walks of life. 

The photo that really caught my eye is simply labeled Indianapolis. This photo features a man and women on a motorcycle with a crowd behind them. These people are in their own element and are shot in a comfortable manor. In all honesty this could be a posed photo that features a motorcycle for advertising purposes. But Frank’s photo’s alway have these small details that make his photos feel natural. Blur is something most photographers avoid. It messes with the focus of the photo and can lead the viewer's attention elsewhere. Frank does not feel the same way. In most of his photos there are elements of motion. People walking around or gesturing. In his photos blurriness only adds to the experience of the photo. In this photo the man's hands are blurry creating the sense that he was just sterling the bike before the picture was taken. These details never take any beauty away from the image but instead create a unique world. Where people are free to move and not worry about perfection.