42nd Street from the Sixth Avenue Subway, New York 1940 - 1941

Lisette Model made this photograph, 42nd Street from the Sixth Avenue Subway, New York, with a camera, of course. The composition is all about feet, legs and shoes, cropped by the frame, of New Yorkers hurrying along the street. The angle is from below, creating an almost monumental sense of scale. It's fascinating how she takes the most ordinary of things, like, you know, feet, and turns them into something so visually arresting. I imagine Model down on the ground, looking up, waiting for the right moment, the right combination of feet and shadows. What was she thinking as she captured this scene? Was she drawn to the rhythm of the city, the endless motion of people going somewhere? This image is a testament to Model's unique vision and her ability to find beauty and intrigue in the everyday. It's like she’s inviting us to reconsider what we see, or don’t see, as we rush through our own lives.