Filming, CBS TV studio--Burbank, California c. 1955 - 1956

This is Robert Frank’s photograph, shot at CBS TV studio in Burbank, California. Frank’s work is all about the process, and here it’s like he's peeling back the layers of image-making itself. The photograph is grainy, almost gritty, typical of Frank’s style, and it's a black and white image, which gives it a timeless feel. The composition is all about depth and layers, with the foreground dominated by the hulking equipment of the television studio. Then, in the monitor, we see a face— the intended image. The whole thing is a bit rough around the edges, like a quick snapshot, but that's the beauty of it. It reminds me of other photographers like Garry Winogrand, who were also trying to capture the messy reality of modern life. The photo is like a visual poem, full of ambiguity and open to interpretation, which, when you think about it, is how all the best art should be.