Gordon Parks - photographer

[low_delta]

Here's a nice gallery of some of Parks' work.

http://www.pdngallery.com/legends/parks/mainframeset.shtml

Comments

[mummm.livejournal.com]

He was terrific against what I am sure were overwhelming odds. Those photos certainly tell strong stories. Thank you for posting that site.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Here's the story of how he got his first break:

Vivid in my memory stands Madeline Murphy, a woman of Irish descent. In 1940, married, the father of two small children, laid off from my job, hungry and desperate, I entered her exclusive women's store in St. Paul, sought out her husband and asked to photograph their fashions. He was showing me out the door when she asked, "Frank, what does the young man want?"
"He wants to photograph fashions."
"Well, how do you know he can't?"
Frank groaned as she asked me to sit down in one of the store's princely cahirs.
"Can you photograph fashions?" she asked.
"Yes, ma'am," I lied.
"Do you have any examples of your work?"
"No ma'am, I'm sorry."
After a few moments of thought she stunned me: "I'm going to give you a chance. Be here at six-thirty tomorrow evening after we close. How many models do you want?"
"Ah, ah - three."
"How many outfits?"
"Ah - six."
"What kind?"
"Well - formal things."
Frank was still groaning when I left.

The following evening I arrived with lights and a highly sophisticated camera - one I had never used before (both borrowed from a friend, Harvey Goldstein). The models and clothes were all there, and, nervously, I went to work. Madeline was impressed. Frank was impressed. Even I was impressed - until later that night when I developed the film. With the exception of one exposure, the entire batch was double-exposed. The hostile camera had failed me.

Owing Madeline honesty, I put my thoughts in order. Two mornings later, when she and Frank arrived at the store, a large print of the one good exposure stood in front of the store on an easel. Madeline's first look brought joy to her face. "It's beautiful! Come in and show us the others!"
I gave her the truth. Frowning, she asked, "Would all of the others have been as good as this one?"
"Oh, I said, "that's probably the worst."

She gave me another chance. No double exposures. Marva Louis, the wife of Joe Louis, the world champion boxer, visited the store and observed the results that had been displayed on the counters and in the windows. Impressed, she invited me into a much larger arena for fashion photography - Chicago. To bolster her invitation, she also promised to hep me find work. I packed to leave with a question gnawing on my mind, and one afternoon I went to Madeline for the answer. "Why, when Frank was kicking me out the door, did you come to my rescue?"
She thought for a few moments. "I don't really know. Perhanps I was just mad as hell at Frank about something." I knew better. It was her goodness that pulled me back through that door.

[mummm.livejournal.com]

What a good lady and what incredible luck! It was all meant to be.
That's a great story! Thank you again.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Now I've just got to work on getting the word out *before* these people die. :-(

[mummm.livejournal.com]

I think that would be great. Of course one has to consider that the man was taking photos before you were born! ;^) I think that a posthumorous tribute is good too.

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

I really like his stuff--he's got a good eye (obviously!). Thanks for pointing him out to us.

[banana.livejournal.com]

I saw his obituary in the newspaper the other day. I'm surprised I've never heard of him before. He's good.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Yes. I'd never heard of him either, until my dad took me to a talk he gave at the art museum, several years ago.