Neon cocktail sign--Los Angeles c. 1955 - 1956

Robert Frank snapped this photo of a neon cocktail sign in Los Angeles, and in it, the process is almost as important as the subject. The gelatin silver print gives us a grayscale world, focusing on the interplay of light and shadow. The grid of glass blocks could feel cold, but the curves of the neon sign and the chaotic jumble of wires above inject a little bit of life into the shot. Look at that glass: it's wobbly, almost cartoonish in its simplicity. It’s a bit like a Cy Twombly drawing, all loose and free. Frank’s work, especially his book "The Americans," really opened up a new way of seeing for photographers. Like Helen Levitt, he showed us how to find the extraordinary in the everyday. It's about capturing a feeling, a moment, and letting the image speak for itself, even if it raises more questions than answers.