Discovering the photographer

Paul Strand

If the photographer is not a discoverer, then he is not an artist. –Paul Strand

Strand's works reflect his interest in using the camera as a tool for social reform. He was one of the founders of the Photo League, an association of photographers who advocated using their art to promote social and political causes. Paul Strand was born Nathaniel Paul Stransky on October 16, 1890, some of his early work, like the well-known Wall Street photograph (as seen below), experimented with formal abstractions.

Strand had an eye for detail, especially as it related to shadows and the dynamic of multiplicity. This dynamic of seeing a repeated pattern in every day life makes you realize the interesting focal points that we walk past every day.

Another hallmark of Strand’s style was his direct approach to portraiture. He would see a subject and have that person look directly at the camera most of the time. Paul Strand sought to capture the starkness of an image, to not sugar coat it or pose it in any way. There appears to be a form of honesty in this approach. Below are some of those portraits.