Flowers on sidewalk, Paris 1951

Robert Frank captured this image, "Flowers on Sidewalk, Paris," in a moment, maybe sometime in the mid-20th century. I think about the process of image-making and Frank’s relationship with the camera. Did he carry it everywhere, always searching for the right image, the right view? The flowers are sitting on the sidewalk in Paris, of course, they are the main players in the foreground. But for me, it’s all about this slice-of-life view: the cobblestone streets, figures walking by, and a flower stall perched on the street. It reminds me of the endless possibilities within the photographic frame. What can you catch? What will you see, and how will you frame it? What will you keep in focus, and what will blur? Like a painter might consider color, line, and composition, Frank is considering light, depth of field, and narrative. It feels that artists everywhere and through time are in conversation, all trying to catch a moment, a feeling, an idea.