Band before clock tower--40 Fotos 1941 - 1945

Robert Frank snapped this photo of a band before a clock tower, and what strikes me is how he captured a moment that's both ordinary and slightly off-kilter. I can imagine Frank wandering around, camera in hand, just looking. Maybe he was drawn to the contrast between the timelessness of the clock tower and the fleeting nature of the band’s performance? The tower looms so large! Frank must have tilted the camera right back to capture the scene. The conductor’s baton mid-air suggests a kind of frozen rhythm, the music about to burst forth but held in suspense. It is grainy, honest, and human. Think about how much is suggested in the image. Frank’s vision helped shape a whole generation’s approach to photography. Artists are always inspiring each other. I hope that the image inspires you.