Family no number 1954

This is a contact sheet by Robert Frank, a photographer who worked in the 20th century using a camera and film. Look at the rhythm of this piece—a constant, back-and-forth of trying to find the right shot. I can imagine Frank in the darkroom, hunched over, the red light casting long shadows as he’s developing these images, looking for a story to emerge. This reminds me of when I'm working in my studio, layering paint, scraping it back, building up texture, and searching for a composition. It’s all about the process of finding something unexpected and revealing. It feels like Frank is doing the same—exploring, experimenting, and pushing the boundaries of photography. Each frame is a sketch, an attempt to capture a feeling, a moment, or a relationship. Like a painter, Frank coaxes an image into being from out of the darkness. Artists are always borrowing from each other. Seeing how other artists work inspires me to be brave in my own practice.