Robert Frank and "The Americans"
Robert Frank was born in 1924 in Switzerland. Is an American photographer and documentary filmmaker.
In 1958 he published the book "The Americans":
I could find a book by Jonathan Day: "Robert Frank's The Americans The Art of Documentary Photography" (2011, Intellect, The Mill, Parnall Road, Fishponds, Bristol, BS163JG, UK).
I did this choice because Robert Frank, a stated by Eamonn McCabe (Picture Editor for The Guardian) in the book's foreword, ".....never did say very much and there is not a single word by him in The Americans.......".
It was interesting to read about the part in which, in United States, in 1947, Alexei Brodovitch of Harper's Bazaar gave to Robert Frank his first 35mm. Until that moment Frank had used a medium format Rolleiflex, and it took a bit of time before he switched to this Leica 35mm. In that period there was a big debate on the use of 35mm (with its faster lenses) instead of medium format. Berenice Abbott was critical about this new wave in photography, because, as she said to Allen Ginsberg "......all these photographers standing around going snap, snap, snap with their little cameras, they think they can get something. But you have to have a big format if you want minute detail in a big space." (Ginsberg in "Brookman and Brookman", 1986, video). This made me think about the reiterated debates on digital versus analog, medium format versus full frame versus aps-c versus 4/3 vs smartphone cameras and so on. It sounds it is only a matter of format, not of composition, expression, narrative, visual expression.
As stated by Jonathan Day in the book "...minute detail was not Frank was after.".
At the same time he affirms that the role of thechnological innovations should not be underestimated, because, in his opinion, the 35mm format facilitated the development of "The Americans". I remember that Hernry Cartier Bresson had a 35mm too, and he was pointing and shooting in the streets in a way that could not have been possible with a medium format and its cockpit. Walker Evans as well, could not have the possibility to shoot in his characteristic discrete way, given the dimension of medium format.
One of the few sentences by Robert Frank in this book is about the use of black and white films: ".......Black and white are the colors of photography. To me they symbolize the alternatives of hope and dispair to which mankind is forever subjected." (Frank, 1961:22). I was inpired by authors who made extensive use of black and white: even if I accept the enormous possibilities of colour in photography, I feel more comfortable with all the chances provided by black and white.
Obviously "The Americans" is not about 35mm and/or black & white: it is about people in America, and this content shoked some friends of Frank, who had previously met him and saw his work while he lived in Paris. His European period was "romantic" and so was his work, while, in "The Americans" there is a radical divergence toward tormented portraits of tormented human faces. This divergence can be seen as the "passage" of Robert Frank from the world of art to the world of documentary.
Frank documents reality. joining Walker Evans in his "American Photographs" (1938). About his experience, Frank says "America is an interesting country, but there is a lot here I do not like and I would never accept. I am trying to show this in my photos." (Frank, 1955, in Tucker and Brookman, 1986:28).
"The Americans" is a selection of 83 photos from 500 (or even more) rolls of film. So it is interesting for me to understand the selection process adopted by Frank: my understanding is that, as he declared, he was ".......searching for the black & white, the knowledge of where God is.." 1991, after plate 63). He then referred to Henry Cartier Bresson and his definition of the so called "Decisive Moment", declaring that it was significant for him and his work.
Indeed in his selection process he chose some photos that were clearly taken trying to catch a moment before it was gone. For this reason some of his selected photos are not perfect, technically speaking, but they have a content that was preferred to the technical quality. Even if Cartier Bresson was looking for a kind of "Equilibrium", I remember what he said in a video interview about the famous "Behind the Gare Saint Lazare": that this shot was taken without looking through the viewfinder, that it had been a matter of luck.
Robert Frank was looking for his perception of the "America" he found, and when he found "America" in his photos, he selected them.
It was interesting to read about the part in which, in United States, in 1947, Alexei Brodovitch of Harper's Bazaar gave to Robert Frank his first 35mm. Until that moment Frank had used a medium format Rolleiflex, and it took a bit of time before he switched to this Leica 35mm. In that period there was a big debate on the use of 35mm (with its faster lenses) instead of medium format. Berenice Abbott was critical about this new wave in photography, because, as she said to Allen Ginsberg "......all these photographers standing around going snap, snap, snap with their little cameras, they think they can get something. But you have to have a big format if you want minute detail in a big space." (Ginsberg in "Brookman and Brookman", 1986, video). This made me think about the reiterated debates on digital versus analog, medium format versus full frame versus aps-c versus 4/3 vs smartphone cameras and so on. It sounds it is only a matter of format, not of composition, expression, narrative, visual expression.
As stated by Jonathan Day in the book "...minute detail was not Frank was after.".
At the same time he affirms that the role of thechnological innovations should not be underestimated, because, in his opinion, the 35mm format facilitated the development of "The Americans". I remember that Hernry Cartier Bresson had a 35mm too, and he was pointing and shooting in the streets in a way that could not have been possible with a medium format and its cockpit. Walker Evans as well, could not have the possibility to shoot in his characteristic discrete way, given the dimension of medium format.
One of the few sentences by Robert Frank in this book is about the use of black and white films: ".......Black and white are the colors of photography. To me they symbolize the alternatives of hope and dispair to which mankind is forever subjected." (Frank, 1961:22). I was inpired by authors who made extensive use of black and white: even if I accept the enormous possibilities of colour in photography, I feel more comfortable with all the chances provided by black and white.
Obviously "The Americans" is not about 35mm and/or black & white: it is about people in America, and this content shoked some friends of Frank, who had previously met him and saw his work while he lived in Paris. His European period was "romantic" and so was his work, while, in "The Americans" there is a radical divergence toward tormented portraits of tormented human faces. This divergence can be seen as the "passage" of Robert Frank from the world of art to the world of documentary.
Frank documents reality. joining Walker Evans in his "American Photographs" (1938). About his experience, Frank says "America is an interesting country, but there is a lot here I do not like and I would never accept. I am trying to show this in my photos." (Frank, 1955, in Tucker and Brookman, 1986:28).
"The Americans" is a selection of 83 photos from 500 (or even more) rolls of film. So it is interesting for me to understand the selection process adopted by Frank: my understanding is that, as he declared, he was ".......searching for the black & white, the knowledge of where God is.." 1991, after plate 63). He then referred to Henry Cartier Bresson and his definition of the so called "Decisive Moment", declaring that it was significant for him and his work.
Indeed in his selection process he chose some photos that were clearly taken trying to catch a moment before it was gone. For this reason some of his selected photos are not perfect, technically speaking, but they have a content that was preferred to the technical quality. Even if Cartier Bresson was looking for a kind of "Equilibrium", I remember what he said in a video interview about the famous "Behind the Gare Saint Lazare": that this shot was taken without looking through the viewfinder, that it had been a matter of luck.
Robert Frank was looking for his perception of the "America" he found, and when he found "America" in his photos, he selected them.
This selection process was criticized by some (i.e. Keller) who declared that there is no narrative sequence in "The Americans", only isolated segments of America social environment.
I will have to keep this issue in mind when I will approach the "Context & Narrative" unit, I guess.
Another part of Jonathan Day's book that made me reflect is the chapter about the relation, in Frank' photography and publishing of "The Americans", between image and text. Frank states clearly that he wished to create "....a document, the visual impact of which will nullify explanation." (Frank, in Maloney 1958, 115).
How may I pretend that a shot of mine will not need any explanation? Or does it mean that, whatever will be the explanation arising in the viewer, it is the good one? Am I supposed to avoid captions, titles, surrounding text, in order to present a context-free image?
I am proud owner of "American Photograps" by Walker Evans. I can say that I arrived to Robert Frank and "The Americans" feeling that there was a relationship between the two works. This relation was confirmed by the reading of the book by Jonathan Day.
I could then put in order for myself and my future photowork some concepts and perceptions I had: art, documentary, selection process, quality of outcome and decisive moments, image, text, context etc These are themes I found all along the study of this Unit so that they sound now more familiar to me.
I could then put in order for myself and my future photowork some concepts and perceptions I had: art, documentary, selection process, quality of outcome and decisive moments, image, text, context etc These are themes I found all along the study of this Unit so that they sound now more familiar to me.
References
Jonathan Day: "Robert Frank's The Americans The Art of Documentary Photography" (2011, Intellect, The Mill, Parnall Road, Fishponds, Bristol, BS163JG, UK). Part 1, Part 2, Conclusion.
Jonathan Day: "Robert Frank's The Americans The Art of Documentary Photography" (2011, Intellect, The Mill, Parnall Road, Fishponds, Bristol, BS163JG, UK). Part 1, Part 2, Conclusion.
Google search "robert frank the americans images", accessed on january 2, 2017
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