Panhandler--Early New York City no number c. 1950 - 1951

This black and white photograph, "Panhandler—Early New York City no number," was captured by Robert Frank, though we don't know exactly when. Looking at it, I imagine Frank wandering the streets, his camera a ready extension of his eye, framing fleeting moments. There's a narrative unfolding in the sequence of images. Maybe Frank was drawn to the rhythms of city life, the repetition of figures walking, the chance encounters, and the quiet desperation in the act of panhandling. He lets the viewer interpret the story, inviting multiple readings. It’s a great work of street photography in conversation with other images of the city, like those of Helen Levitt or Lisette Model. And like painting, photography creates a space for inquiry, where ambiguity and uncertainty allow for endless interpretations and meaning.