Early New York City no number c. 1949 - 1951

Robert Frank made this contact sheet of 35mm film strips, "Early New York City no number," using photography. You can see the process so clearly here. It is so physical! I can just see him in his darkroom, laying down these strips from his camera. They are so full of life, like he is trying to catch a feeling, a glimpse of the city. I love the repetition of the frames—how he is working through a way of seeing. You know, it’s like he is making sketches for a painting, each frame a little different but from the same moment. He is figuring something out in each shot. Frank used a camera, but, actually, the way he's working is much like the way painters work. I do this too! It's all about process, about trying to figure out how to translate your ideas into something real, something you can share with others. It’s all one conversation.