Family and Ben Schultz--Southampton no number 1954

Robert Frank made this contact sheet using traditional photographic materials and processes. It shows a series of images, captured on film, likely developed in a darkroom, and printed onto this sheet. The visible grain and tonal range, from deep blacks to soft grays, speak to the inherent qualities of black and white film. Frank, known for his raw and unfiltered style, embraces the materiality of photography. The images appear casual, but the contact sheet reveals a deliberate act of editing. Photography has a complicated relationship to labor and class. On one hand, a camera can capture images of exploitation, but on the other, the labor involved in photography itself is often invisible. This is the case here: the final image is the product of decisions and skill. Looking at this contact sheet, we can appreciate the skill, the choices, and the labor that went into its making, and to consider the cultural and social narratives embedded in its form.