Although the images displayed in the Avedon exhibition are not part of one story, can you discover a narrative interpretation in one or more of the images offered in this exhibition?

One obvious narrative come to mind— the documentation of Jacob Israel Avedon, Richard’s father, throughout his older age and then eventually as he was dying (although the more graphic photos of his dying were not shown at the exhibition).

The photos displayed together in chronological order show the declining health of his father—The first photo at the top shows Richard’s father with a sharp expression in his eyes and dark hair (although to be fair it was most likely dyed); he is an older man but his stature and expression in the photos still demand respect; looking at this photo, I can empathize how he might inspire the type of fear and oppression in Richard that he [Richard] has described in other publications.

As the photos go on this man becomes fragile in his pressed suits—in the two photos with his polka dot tie, the suits seem to fit too big for Jacob; his frame shrinking under his boxed-shouldered topcoat, gray hair and dentures, age spots and wrinkles more pronounced.

The next two photos of Avedon's father in a black suit—the poor man looks like a complete shadow of his former self in the first photo... though his eyes are looking at the camera in the first shot, they seem lost, as if not truly understanding what he is looking at. The second photo seems to confirm his “mentally checked out” ambiguity. The last two photos of Jacob show him in a hospital gown, thinning, frail, and distant. As a viewer, it seems these may be some of the last images that Richard will make of his father who is evidently on his way out...

2. Avedon’s images often blur the lines between the genres of fashion, fine art and documentary photography. Do you feel his work acts as photojournalistic telling stories in single images and or series? Explain your reasoning. 

I absolutely feel that Avedon’s work acts as a photojournalistic body of work! His collection is so extensive, it is evident that he was an absolute workhorse and probably shot everyday of his life. In that sense, he really lived by the mantra that “half the job is just showing up”, and by consistently “showing up”, he was able to create a documentation of the times, of “America, then”. Not just simply in his more obvious photojournalistic works, such as In The American West, but even in his fashion and finer art photography of celebrities and high society; those who shaped popular culture for over sixty years, from Marilyn Monroe, to Audrey Hepburn, Cindy Crawford, Chaka Khan, Andy Warhol and other members of The Factory, etc. His Portraits of Power collection of elite government officials, contrasted with the civil rights movement and figures like Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and the Young Lords; his high school friend James Baldwin… these are people that have gone down in American history, some have already passed away, but they were documented and live on in these iconic photos taken by one of the greatest photographers of all time.

Furthermore, there is much than can still be inferred with each photo: the attitudes of the time, style, fashion and beauty standards, social conversations of homoeroticism and sexual liberation, fights for racial equity and socioeconomic liberation, the expansion and construction of America’s Western frontier. Perhaps Avedon was not completely cognizant of these themes at the time of taking these photos, but shown together as a retrospective collective (that I also must mention was largely displayed in chronological order, to its conveyance success) his work functions to tell many stories of the people of the time. Many of his photos are strong enough to tell a story as a standalone, but compiled together, their power and success in storytelling and conveying an era in history is undeniable.

3. Choose 2 remarkably different images from the exhibition. Speak to the similarities and differences between each image. What attracted you to these images?

Two remarkably different photos are the studio portrait taken of Michael Jordan, and the portrait out in the oil field of Tom Stroud in Oklahoma. These images, though completely different, both show their subjects with such a level of dignity, intensity, and both photos focus on their subject by using Avedon’s signature white background—there is nothing that distracts us as viewers from these people. 

The use of studio lighting with Michael Jordan makes his dark skin look like black gold in the way that it shines and glistens from sweat in the strobe lights. It is highly complimentary for this rich skin to be placed against the plain backdrop of Avedon's signature white. This shot is a mix of fashion and glamour that Avedon was known for—Jordan wears his iconic Jordan Retro 4 sneakers, that are still highly sought after even today. His socks are perfectly crisp and white, his huge hands in total control of the basketball, the classic Bulls 23 jersey which is also a street fashion/courtside Chicago staple to this day. Michael stands in position with an intense look in his eyes and allows the viewer to feel that they’re on the court with him, about to get their ankles broken in a fatal crossover and be humiliated after he dunks over our heads. There is poise, prestige; he demands respect, even from his small 8x10 print mounted on the wall. 

Conversely, the photo of Tom Stroud in the oil field, while still demanding respect, demands so in a much different way. First, the photo must be at least 4 feet tall (from my memory), bringing a sense of prestige and recognition that demands respect for a man that, in reality, might be easily be overlooked given his “lower class” as a laborer. Like Michael, his eyes are piercing and intense, enhanced by their light color and allowing visual texture to be captured in his irises. His skin is filthy, layered with earth and oil from a days work on the field, his shirt is off, his leather vest ripped, hair sopping. The expression on his face is hardened; one can only wonder what his life story is. Though it is clear he’s had a hard life, he is not asking for pity. 

Two completely different figures, one famous, one blue collar, and yet both displayed with such dignity; two men from completely different walks of life with such resolve and power in something so subtle as the expression on their faces. The amount of detail captured on both photos truly highlights the resolution capability of 8x10 negatives—the show as a whole was super inspiring as it related to this format (and large format in general). Avedon was a master, and as a student, it was highly inspirational to see so many creative possibilities of using large format cameras/film and furthermore, creative ways as to how these negatives can be printed.

What’s your name?

Ibrahim Ahmed

How long have you been working here?

I started here in 2010. I stopped working in the last year, I just started working again today, I just came back today.

Why did you stop for a year?

Ah, it had something to do with my kids and I started studying in school and I had no time for that. 

Oh wow, that’s great! What school are you attending? 

Southern New Hampshire University. It’s online.

What are you studying?

Computer science.

Wow that’s great! So why did you pick Wall Street, what does Wall Street mean to you?

So… yeah… it was busy here, it was before… before Deutsch Bank and a lot of places are empty right now. But before COVID there was a lot of traffic here. 

Totally. Did you have to get your license back in order to come back?

Yea, I have a license I have with a permit right here in front of the car. But once you get a permit it doesn’t matter, you can work anywhere. 

As long as you don’t have competition? Like nobody wants to fight you for the spot?

[Laughs] Right exactly.

How many years do you have left in school? What do you hope to do when you finish?

I just finished this semester May 2nd. I still have more to go but when I finish I will work in something remotely or something where I can stay at home…

I was wondering where you’re from originally?

Egypt.

When did you come to USA?

I came in 2008.

Wow so you were fast with getting your truck on the road!

Yea, when I came here my uncle worked here in the street, so I worked with him in the same business for two years. Then I made my own truck with a friend, so that’s why you find it says “3 Brothers”, we three shared for this car.

Okay, last question! When are you hoping to finish working on Wall Street? As in, do you have an end date goal that you’d like to be out of here by?

Actually, for now no, because I have a kid in the school, I have four kids, so I have to work to support them and to pay bills and support him in school… it’s too many things so, I didn’t have a plan when I finish.. so yeah. 

Thank you so much for your time today, I really appreciate you! Is it okay if I can take your photo for my class? 

I missed the day of the field trip, but I went to Wall Street on my own during a sleepy Monday, late morning (about 11am). Instead of capturing the architecture, I tried to capture more how people interact with the space. I was dismayed to find that there weren't many people at all, and there the little that there were, were all tourists! Wall Street is truly a shadow of what it used to be.

I changed my approach to include not only tourists, but some of the "workers of Wall Street"; those who work the street. I shot this on Ilford HP5 film, and when my film ran out, I used my iPhone.

I plan to photograph the region by walking through it systematically over the course of six weeks, breaking down the area I plan to cover each week by region. I will start from the North and work my way South—I usually get more caught up in the South, as the neighborhood becomes more lively, and I prefer to have more time for that at the end. I plan to photograph the buildings/architecture of the neighborhood, as I feel this will be important to document as time/gentrification will inevitably change the look of these neighborhoods. For this same reason, I plan to document the people of the neighborhood as well—the residents, but also some of the locally famous shop owners and street personalities. The last component I plan to photograph are the parks and train stations within 10459, making observation as to how these public spaces are utilized by the local community. I do not plan to photograph the schools.

I will be transparent and say, as this project is rooted in street photography I don’t have a set goal as to how I want the project to look in the end. My goal is to hold myself to the schedule of showing up, being present, making connections and allowing things to flow naturally within the 6 week timeframe. I expect that the people I encounter along the way will be what makes the project special. 

Week 1: April 3rd – 9th                   *Easter Weekend

Areas of Focus: Starlight Park to Freeman Street (pictured below)

Definite Photograph Goals: 

Starlight Park, Freeman Street Station

People exiting churches after Easter Sunday services on April 9th. 

There is a cluster of three Christian Churches in the triangle block of Jennings St., Freeman St., and West Farms Blvd.

Week 2: April 10th – 16th        *Wedding Weekend, Spring Break Week 

*** I have a weekend to attend this Sunday so I need to format my shooting schedule accordingly. I also start a new job this week. I will be shooting early mornings during the week before work, and Saturday. 

Areas of Focus: Freeman Ave (North Boundary) to 167th St. (South Boundary), Whitlock Ave. (East Boundary), Union Ave. (West Boundary) – see below. 

Definite Photograph Goals: 

Whitlock Ave. Station 

Paradise on Earth Community Garden @ 1106 Fox St.

Field of Dreams Park @ 167 & Southern Blvd.

Concrete Plant Park (not technically in the 10459 zip code but just on the other line of the border. I am choosing to include this because without a doubt it is a huge part of the neighborhood—no other “zip code” has direct access to it.

Whitlock Avenue Bridge, also known in popular culture for a famous photograph Martha Cooper took of it in the 70’s.

Bryant Triangle—it’s known as a junkie hangout but it’s undeniably part of the neighborhood that everyone is aware of and not something to be overlooked. Also, lots of pigeon feeding goes on here. 

Reverend Polite Playground. Big during baseball/softball season. 

Week 3 & 4: April 17th – April 30th

Areas of Focus: 167th St (North Boundary) to 163rd St. (South Boundary), Whitlock Ave./Bruckner Blvd. (East Boundary), Tinton Ave./Union Ave. (West Boundary) – see below.

Definite Photographic Goals:

Simpson Street Station, Intervale Ave. Station, Hunts Point Station

Southern Blvd Shopping District, Street Vendors, notable shops

Davidson Houses, NYCHA

Basil Behagen Playground, Horseshoe Playground, Lyons Square Playground, Printer’s Park

Big Pun Mural 

Tats Cru Bronx Mural, present-day graffiti tour point

Hoe Garden

20/20 Deli

Week 5: May 1st – May 7th

Areas of Focus: 163rd St (North Boundary) to Longwood Ave. (South Boundary), Bruckner Blvd. (East Boundary), Tinton Ave. (West Boundary) – see below.

Definite Photographic Goals:

Bill Rainey Park 

Prospect Ave. Station, Longwood Ave. Station

John Ahearn sculptures

Salsa music store on Longwood Ave

Week 6: May 8th – 14th

If there were any areas I needed to revisit, this is my time to do so. 

Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, first published in 1941 by photographer Walker Evans and journalist James Agee, has become an American classic, noted for how the book, at time of publication went against norms of documentation and traditional reporting. Up until this point, photos were generally regarded as accompanying text, which was given the highest importance in books. This publication broke norms by essentially publishing two books in one, where the photos (taken by Walker Evans) stood on their own, without the company of text to overtake it. The photos were also published first in the book, thereby establishing their importance over the text (written by James Agee) that mark the second half of the book.

The documentation of the reality of the sharecroppers is striking. They are white, impoverished families with gaunt faces, hardened with struggle, living in bare shacks. Black and white photography captures the essence of its subjects, and in this case serves to stress the brutal reality of these sharecroppers. Where the project lacks is in its depiction-- only white families are shown, and at the time of these photos, 75% of the Hale County population was black. I would like to think of this subversive racism behind the project as not completely intentional-- black people even then understood the power of the camera, and arguably, the implication of white people behind it, and ran from them. Agee was quoted as saying, "I notice how much slower white people are to catch on than negroes, who understand the meaning of a camera, a weapon, a stealer of images and souls...". That being said, the project shows a truth of American History, albeit a staunchly curated, and therefor, relative truth. This phenomenon best explained by Richard Avedon, "There is no truth in photography. There is no truth about anyone’s person... portraits are much more about me than they are about the people I photograph... The photographer has complete control, the issue is a moral one and it is complicated." 

The overall tone of the project invites feelings of despair, sadness, the hopelessness of oppressive, crushing poverty. The book itself is a beautiful work of art that I personally feel, for its time, was way ahead of itself as a photo book with reference to the professional, clean layout of the photos. The book can stand to compete and excel beyond photo books published even today.

Hale County, This Morning, This Evening by Ramell Ross captures the same geographic area of America and Alabama state, but in a completely different manner, with a completely different demographic-- black people. Watching the documentary, I felt Ross was very successful in removing his presence, and therefor the personal narrative, of the photographer/filmmaker almost entirely. Some of this, I believe, can be attributed to the amount of time Ross spent living in Hale County-- 3 years, versus 8 weeks by Evans and Agee. In this way he eludes a shortcoming of Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, because the subjects are not "othered" by the outsider photographer (and narrator); they are not props. Ross is successful in capturing the "historically elusive" black population because of his access as a black man himself, his natural integration into the community through his years spent there. Scott L. Matthews, professor of history at Florida State University, says Ross's work "brings the humanity of Hale County's people into the light... they appear at a distance... absorbed in quotidian experience and not captured by the camera for the viewer's pleasure or project. Ross presents them with sacrificial care, allowing them, and not the artist, to author their identities." Both projects have in common that they use untraditional ways to document Hale County, and have various successes in doing so. Ross's untraditional documentary uses almost a stream of conscious type of observation, comprised primarily of "b-roll" footage, and yet the film is not lacking in contex or journalistic quality-- the viewer is able to take away very much about the reality of the people of Hale County. The b-roll, stream of conscious approach captures the essence of real life-- it mostly happens in small moments, mundanity, a buildup of the cumulation of everyday life. It doesn't happen in these grand moments-- a powerful snapshot that captures an all encompassing truth in a fraction of a second.

1. The image itself is pretty gruesome for me. This is a father and daughter facedown and dead, and to have their pictures taken in this manner and posted for publicity is just cruel. These two cannot consent for these images to be placed out for the world to view, especially when in death. For me, as a viewer, it makes me sad and very uncomfortable. I feel like I’m disrespecting the souls of the dead by seeing them displayed like this. I’m not sure if the image is manipulated, but one should go get them out of this position rather than stand and take pictures. I find it disgusting.

2. Having staged the image loses all value to it. It seems more like a play rather than reality. If what the photographer wanted to display was truth and not a staged play, they shouldn’t have added factors to the highten the image. There is a thin line between these things, but it seemed like what was being shown is something that should have been a secret. The staged lighting makes it seem like an act.

1. The authors name should have been mentioned in the first publication because it’s their work and they should be acknowledged.

2. I’ve seen this photograph before in my life and always wondered why the photographer wasn’t helping the child. Yes his photograph sends a message across platforms but they should have helped. Nothing can excuse the photographer for me.

3. I’m all for photo manipulation when it comes to pictures where the viewer knows its fake and is meant to be surreal. But in this case when its supposed to be a news and they are taking a drastic event to enhancing it, it seems unethical to me. They should be given one chance but banished if they pulled a lie again.

4. It was unethical because how grusome it is and no one should have to view anyone else in such a stage. I understand the intent but like the very first image I reviewed, this is just cruel.

5. This image I am completely unsure of. If the parents gave permission, yes, it is fine to post because it shows their dispair and their loss. But if the people in the image did not consent, no one has the right to display their raw emotions in display.

6. Neither. Both have gruesome displays of dead bodies. I wouldn’t be comfortable with either being published, but if I had to choose I would pick the image on the right. Because the left image not only has the full body but it also has the family’s raw emotions. Something very private and intimate. Although the right image is haunting and sends a chill down my back, it is better than invading a whole family’s privacy along with the dead childs.

7. The lack of color definitely makes the image less gruesome. I would rather neither be published but if I had to chose I would pick the black and white. The same message is conveyed but the blood isn’t as horrifying.

8. The person killing themselves did it for attention and for the press to publish this was messed up. Not only is the person doing it crazy, but so is the press for giving him what he wanted. Also, the images itself are traumatic.