J.L.A. V c. mid to late 1950s

This is Robert Frank’s "J.L.A. V," a photo contact sheet, and what strikes me is the way he approaches photography like a painter approaches a canvas – it's all about the process. Frank isn’t just capturing a moment; he’s exploring a sequence, a narrative. The materiality here is the grain, the grit of the film, the way light and shadow play across the surface of each frame. Look at frame 24, the way the figures blur, almost dissolving into abstraction. It’s not about clarity; it’s about feeling. The physicality of the medium is so present, you can almost smell the darkroom chemicals. It’s raw and immediate. Frank reminds me a little of Garry Winogrand – both were street photographers who were not afraid to mess with the rules, to embrace the messy, the unpredictable. It’s a conversation that continues to evolve, shape-shifting with each new voice. What does it say to you?