Happy birthday to American photographer, Dorothea Lange (05/26/1895-10/11/1965)! Lange traveled the country documenting rural America after the Great Depression as part of the Farm Security Administration (FSA) project. Her most famous photograph from this time is sometimes referred to as "Migrant Mother". I am sure you have all seen this haunting image of a woman, with three of her children "framing" her. Personally, I find this image both beautiful and heart-wrenching at the same time. That image is what I consider “catching lightning in a bottle”.
Read MoreHere we are in week three already. Last week was all about Dorothea Lange’s transformation from portrait and studio work, to documentary work with the Farm Security Administration (FSA). The FSA terminated Lange January 1, 1940 and completely disbanded in 1943. Many of the FSA photographers considered their time at the FSA a highpoint of their career. This was particularly true for Lange who took her termination hard and continued to search for projects that would be like the FSA work. This week, we will discover that she used her camera to document another group of Americans whom she hoped to aid with her images.
Read MoreWe are in the second week of celebrating Dorothea Lange. Last week, we set the foundation of Lange’s work as a successful high-end portrait photographer. So, how did this “city-girl” evolve into a documentary photographer best known for documentation of rural America, agriculture, agriculture workers, and their hardships? Hold on to your virtual hats because Lange is taking us on a ride documenting rural America.
Read MoreDuring the month of May, I will be adding posts about American Photographer, Dorothea Lange (May 26, 1895 – October 11, 1965). Lange is known as one of the preeminent documentary photographers of the 20th century. Lange’s images are some of the best known, most recognizable images of the 20th century. And, even though viewers recognize the images, they may not know the artist’s name who is responsible for the images, or anything about her.
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