Guggenheim 650--San Francisco c. 1956

This is Robert Frank’s "Guggenheim 650--San Francisco," a black and white photograph on paper. Looking at the strips of film, it's easy to imagine Frank walking down the street, camera in hand. He's got a curious eye, trying to capture the energy of a place and time. I can almost feel the graininess of the film, like a physical substance, in my own hands. The darks and lights are so contrasty, like strong charcoal marks. It reminds me that every photograph is a kind of performance, a framing of reality. The red circle makes me wonder – what caught his eye? Who are these people, caught in this moment? Maybe that circle is his way of saying, “Hey, look at this!” I think he just wants us to slow down and really see.