Boy Scouts c. 1941

This photograph, "Boy Scouts," was made by Robert Frank using a handheld camera and black and white film. The image’s material qualities – its small scale, grainy texture, and off-the-cuff composition – all contribute to its impact. Frank took the picture in a casual way, and the labor and skill involved are invisible to the viewer, making it appear effortless. Photography democratized image-making, allowing subjects from everyday life, like these boy scouts, to become subjects for art. In many ways, the photo is a readymade, captured with a single click. The focus is not on the individual work involved in the production, but on the ability to capture an image. By calling attention to it, Frank elevates an image to a cultural artefact, challenging distinctions between the handmade and the ready-made, and complicating traditional ideas about labor and value.