Early New York City no number c. early 1950s

This is a photogram by Robert Frank, documenting snapshots of early New York City. I like to think of how Frank composed and developed this piece, cutting up the individual photographic elements. The act of piecing together the photos must have felt really exciting for Frank, since photography is subtractive: you crop, edit, and exclude details. Here Frank includes every step of that process. There is a huge sense of trust and chance in his work. He is also in conversation with the street photographers that came before him, like Helen Levitt, yet somehow pushing against the tradition in his own way. It is as if Frank were saying, I'm going to show you everything, I'm not holding anything back! He shares not only his finished images, but all the in-between moments too, with the sprocket holes adding a tactile sense. It emphasizes how creative processes involve a continuous exchange of ideas and inspiration across generations, isn't it?