William F. Buckley, Jr. for "Mademoiselle" 3 1961

This is Robert Frank’s photograph of William F. Buckley, Jr. made for *Mademoiselle* magazine. It’s a contact sheet, but not really. The image shows two strips of film laid on a black surface. The film isn’t cut into individual images, or carefully arranged, which gives a raw, almost punk feel. It's like Frank is saying, "Here's the unedited version, take it or leave it." I imagine him in the darkroom, sifting through images, trying to find the right one to capture Buckley's essence for a fashion magazine. Each frame offers a slightly different angle, a different mood. Together, the many images give us a sense of time passing and movement. It's a reminder that photography, like life, is a series of moments strung together. Frank captures Buckley at different angles, revealing different facets of his personality. It is a reminder that artists are always in conversation with one another, building on each other's ideas and pushing the boundaries of creativity.