From the bus 2 1958

This is a strip of 35mm film, titled 'From the bus 2,' by Robert Frank. It captures a series of moments through the window of a moving bus, an apt metaphor for how Frank captured a rapidly changing America. Film is a particularly powerful medium because it depends on both the photographer's eye and the industrial processes required to produce and develop it. Every detail, from the grain of the emulsion to the contrast between light and shadow, reflects the capabilities and limitations of the materials and technologies available at the time. Frank’s work is renowned for its raw, unfiltered portrayal of everyday life, and for that he relied on the mass production of readily available filmstock. The social significance of Frank’s approach lies in its departure from traditional, staged photography, instead embracing the spontaneity and authenticity of the streets. This democratization of image-making, facilitated by advances in photographic technology, allowed Frank to challenge prevailing social norms and capture the realities of a nation in flux.