Rock & roll--Alan Freed 10 c. 1957

This film contact sheet was created by Robert Frank. The image is a strip of frames of Alan Freed, the DJ who played rock and roll when no one else would. You can see the audience, too, so engaged with the music. I’m thinking about the photographer Robert Frank, and the great book he did called "The Americans." Frank was so great at grabbing those moments in between, when no one was posing. He just grabbed it. It's like when you're taking a picture of someone, and then you get the great shot when they relax. I can imagine Frank right there in the thick of it all. He’s got his camera, he’s moving around, feeling the energy of the crowd and the music. I can see his camera flash in the dark. The high contrast, almost blurry image of people really gets across the sense of urgency he was trying to convey. It’s loose and improvisational but also has a very strong formal structure. We’re always inspired by those who came before us. It’s this amazing chain of energy that keeps things moving.