Cowboys no number 1954

This is “Cowboys no number,” a photo contact sheet made by Robert Frank. Isn’t it neat when you see a photographer’s thinking, all laid out like this? I love these work-in-progress views. I think it would be so cool to see a painter’s equivalent–imagine a canvas covered in dozens of attempts, all layered on top of each other, with different colours and shapes peeking out from underneath! Looking at this contact sheet, you can see Frank circling in on his subjects, trying out different angles, playing with light and shadow. There are cowboys in the street, cowboy hats, bodies. What was it like to be Frank, moving through the world like a lightning rod, looking for those fleeting moments that add up to a bigger story? This reminds me of other photographers of that time like Lisette Model and Diane Arbus, who were also interested in revealing the strange beauty of everyday life. It’s an ongoing conversation, this search for meaning, and each artist adds their voice to the mix.