Paris 35A 1949 - 1950

"Paris 35A" is a contact sheet from Robert Frank's iconic photobook "The Americans". This photobook, published in 1959, changed the landscape of documentary photography with its unflinchingly honest depiction of American life. This contact sheet, taken in 1949-1950, shows Frank's exploration of Paris, a city he was initially drawn to for its romanticized beauty but ultimately found to be full of contradictions and complexities. The series of photographs on the sheet, ranging from street scenes to candid portraits, showcases Frank's ability to capture fleeting moments of everyday life, revealing the hidden narratives and underlying tensions within the city.