Man with parakeet--San Francisco 1956

Robert Frank made this photograph, Man with parakeet--San Francisco, sometime in the mid-twentieth century. It's a gelatin silver print, and what really strikes me is the way Frank captures a sense of fleeting moments. It's all about layering and transparency. The photograph's surface has this ethereal quality, like looking through a misted window, you know? There's a central figure who's partially obscured by what looks like a display of headshots. It's as if Frank is asking us to consider how we see, or rather, how our gaze is always mediated. I love how this piece isn’t so much about perfect clarity but more about the process of looking and seeing. Frank's work reminds me a little of Garry Winogrand, especially in its gritty, unposed quality. Like, what is real anyway?