Embarkation--New York City no number 1955

Robert Frank made this contact sheet of photographs, entitled Embarkation--New York City, using gelatin silver. Isn’t it amazing how a simple set of images can feel like a whole story unfolding? Frank wasn't trying to hide the process of making pictures, he's showing us everything. Look how the greys shift and change, some frames dense with people, others almost ghostly and overexposed. The physicality of film here is key: you can almost smell the chemicals. The texture isn't just in the images, it’s in the very material of the strip itself. Notice that one frame, kind of highlighted, where two people seem to be in conversation. Are they saying goodbye? About to start a new adventure? It’s a moment, plucked from the stream, and Frank makes us stop and consider it. Frank’s work reminds me of Garry Winogrand, another street photographer who embraced the messiness of life. They both capture life's beautiful imperfections, reminding us that art doesn’t always need to be polished to be profound.