Early New York City 80 1950

Robert Frank made this photograph, Early New York City 80, sometime in the mid-20th century. It’s a photo of a roll of film, a sequence of images, almost like a storyboard for a movie that never happened. I love that we can see the whole roll, the artist’s process, the outtakes and almost-weres, rather than just the perfect shot. Look at the texture of the film, the sprocket holes, the numbers marking each frame. It's like a secret code, revealing the behind-the-scenes work that goes into creating a single image. Notice the image marked with the number 80, scrawled in what looks like chalk. It's a really intimate and personal way to see the city. Frank's work reminds me of Garry Winogrand, another street photographer who captured the energy of New York. Both artists embraced the messy, unpredictable nature of life, reminding us that art is not about perfection, but about capturing a moment in time.