Inspiration
Robert Frank
Frank captured this black and white image at a funeral in St. Helena, South Carolina.There are numerous cars casually parked on the grass with what we guess are the funeral attendees, but we cannot be certain. While facing the left, the gentlemen appear to be waiting for the funeral to begin or end.
Two of them are leaning on a car, one on the left side is barely visible as a whole, and the one in the foreground’s pose suggests that he is thinking about memories from the past. You can see some of the features of the gentlemen in the foreground and background, but not those of the gentleman in the centre, whose features are obscured by his lighter-coloured hat. The gentleman in the foreground is likewise wearing a darker-coloured hat.
Due to his pose, the gentleman in the middle appears dejected, whilst the gentleman in the foreground appears to be reflecting. There appears to be little contrast in the apparel; it seems to blend together, particularly on the trousers, and it is not distinct. As a result of the medium used, the angle it was shot and the documentary-style photography, it is unclear what time of day it was and whether he had permission to take it. (Maher, 2022)
A vertical view of a road has been captured in New Mexico, in the medium of black and white by Frank. In the foreground, he appears to be standing to the right of the dividing road markings which are in the centre of the road. The image taken by Frank has an outstanding depth of field. The contrast between light and dark on the road surface is visible, as are what appear to be ongoing tyre impressions from the foreground going into the distance.
The brightness on the left side shows the impression that the photograph was taken on a sunny, dry day. There is a glimmer of a vehicle driving into the distance of this long road, which offers a sense of how long his route must have been. The road begins wide and narrows into the distance as it approaches the horizon. Approaching the horizon, the central section becomes darker.
The skyline is at the top of this composition, and there is a definite split between it and the terrain, producing a beautiful depth. The terrain on either side of the road is mountainous, but there is not much detail because Frank’s concentration is on the route itself. (Maher, 2022)
Frank captured this shot of a car parked on what appears to be a dirt track road. Again, in the medium of black and white, there appears to be more grain present within the photograph. The car’s bonnet, which includes the car ariel, shows little reflection. It is unclear what time of day the image was taken, although the headlight suggests this was taken at sunrise or in the evening.
Frank took the shot facing directly from outside of the vehicle, probably while standing in front of it. The bonnet draws you into the shot, allowing you to view the individuals in the car, who appear to be a very tired mother and her young son. They are all looking directly at Frank while he captures this image.
Looking into the vehicle, there appears to be a piece of clothing between them, and there is luggage in the back in front of the back window. The scenery can be seen through this and all around the vehicle. Maher, J. (2022)
