Robert Frank

One of the people who was influenced by Robert more than anyone was Joel Meyerowitz. Joel, as a junior art director didn’t even have an interest in photography until he saw Robert Frank with his camera, moving and clicking the shutter.

Read more about how to take photos like Joel Meyerowitz.

The Americans by Robert Frank

His most famous work is undoubtedly the groundbreaking photo book called “The Americans”, which I of course had to add to my list of all-time best photo books, because of the immense impact it has on American culture and photography books.

Get Robert Frank’s Book The Americans on Amazon.

The foreword of The Americans is written by writer and good friend of Robert, Jack Kerouac.“Robert sucked a sad poem right out of America onto film”, said Jack Kerouac.

Frank’s most famous work is his book “The Americans,” published in 1958. The book is a collection of photographs taken during Frank’s travels across the United States between 1955 and 1956. The photographs depict everyday life in America, capturing both the beauty and the ugliness of the country. The book was a groundbreaking work that challenged the traditional view of America and its values.

“The Americans” was initially met with controversy and criticism, but it went on to become a seminal work of modern photography. The book is now considered a classic and is widely regarded as one of the most important photography books of the 20th century. Its influence can be seen in the work of countless photographers who have followed in Frank’s footsteps.

Who was Robert Frank?

As a Swiss living in America, Robert Frank had a truly unique perspective on America. His peers, being other professional photographers, saved their expensive exposures on people “who deserved to be photographed; Hollywood, actors, and the rich and famous.

That kind of photography didn’t interest Robert Frank. Or at least, that’s not what he was drawn to in photography. He was the first photographer to use his valuable exposure photographing“normal people” and document the everyday mundane America, which later became the legendary photography book The Americans.

Frank’s photography was characterized by its rawness and spontaneity. He often used a 35mm camera and worked in black and white, capturing moments that were both intimate and honest. His images were often blurry or out of focus, giving them a sense of movement and energy. He had a keen eye for detail and was skilled at capturing the small moments that make up everyday life.

In addition to his photography, Frank also worked as a filmmaker. His most famous film is “Pull My Daisy,” a 1959 short film that was co-directed by the Beat writer Jack Kerouac. The film is a fictionalized account of a gathering of Beat poets and artists and is considered a classic of avant-garde cinema.

Continue reading about How Vivian Maier took her photos and how Henri Cartier Bresson takes his photographs. Another photographer you should study is the famous Russian photographer Alexey Titarenko.