London 42 1952 - 1953

Robert Frank's 'London 42' is a photographic contact sheet, a behind-the-scenes peek into the process of image-making. It's not just about the final, polished photograph; it's about the messy, iterative journey to get there. The overall feel is a high contrast monochrome. It gives everything a slightly ominous and brooding quality. You get to see the photos he liked, and the ones he didn't all on one piece of photographic paper. It gives you a glimpse into his decision making process. Look at the top row, the third frame from the left - it's slightly overexposed, giving it an ethereal feel. It seems like he was experimenting with light, and trying to push the boundaries of the medium. Frank's contact sheets are like the abstract expressionist paintings of photography, emphasizing process, chance, and the raw physicality of the medium. You might compare him to someone like Garry Winogrand, another street photographer known for capturing the pulse of urban life. But in the end, it’s all about that ambiguity, that openness to different ways of seeing and feeling.