Robert Frank, (born November 9, 1924, Zürich, Switzerland), one of the most influential photographers of the mid-20th century, noted for ironic renderings of American life.
“Black and white are the colors of photography. To me they symbolize the alternatives of hope and despair to which mankind is forever subjected” – Rober Frank
Frank became a professional industrial photographer at the age of 22 and in the 1940s became a successful fashion photographer for Harper’s Bazaar magazine in Paris. He felt, however, that the scope of the work was too limited. He abandoned fashion photography about 1948 and went to the United States and then to Peru to explore the expressive possibilities of the 35-mm camera.
My first impressions of this photo I have picked from Robert Frank is that its high contrast and a bit dark but also screams a story to me. Looks like the two people are from a wedding or in a church or funeral. The women has her head down and the man is looking away with a serious face so that is indicating that they’re upset at something or very serious. The subject of the image is the two people in the middle of the frame because they’re the only thing in the photograph.
The colours of the work are black and white, high contrast and quite dark. This might be because there isn’t much or none natural light because the photograph looks like it’s been taken inside. The composition of the photograph with the two subjects in the middle is used very well because it draws your eyes towards the two people instead of away to the empty space.
I think Frank took this photograph on a film camera and then processed in a dark room. I don’t think he’s used a tripod or anything to do with that because of the reaction of the two people it’s not a fake or staged reaction. From looking a other photos by Robert Frank you have see the similarities with the colours and tones. They’re all black and white and all high contrast with low light and normally people or tgings happening in the photograph.
When looking at this photo it makes me feel sad because I look at the two people thinking they’ve just been to a funeral and it’s sad times for them so in a way I feel for them. Because of this I think the overall mood of the photograph is down and regretful. Looking at this image it makes me think of an old film with the clothes they’re wearing and how they’re acting in the photograph
Jake Crook Photography 