From the Bus, New York 1958

Robert Frank snapped this photograph in New York, calling it ‘From the Bus’. It’s a small black and white scene; a fleeting moment, really. You can see the edge of the bus interior where Frank was sitting, a figure crossing the street, and then another bus to the right. I’ve been on buses like this, haven't you? You’re sort of suspended, watching the world go by, but you’re separate from it. Frank's use of the bus frame makes me feel like I’m peeking at a memory. What was he thinking when he took this shot? Was he trying to capture the loneliness of the city? Or maybe just the beauty of an ordinary day? You know, photographers are always in dialogue with painters, thinking about composition, light, and how to turn life into art. The way he frames the shot – like he is painting it, blocking out shapes, lines, forms in a structured way – creates a sense of depth and distance. Like he’s composing a painting.