Bruce Davidson is an American Photographer who started taking pictures in 1957 after he was done serving in the U.S military. He was born in 1933 in Illinois, being born in the 30’s gave Davidson the opportunity to shoot what some refer to as the most important time in American history, the Civil Right Movement. This gave Davidson the ability to capture very deep and heavy moments, and that is clear in his photographs. He is known for using black and white film to emphasize the pain and emotion that is captured in every picture.
His most famous photo’s which gained him notoriety include shots from Harlem, New York in the 1960’s. These photos captured everyday life in the slums of black and Spanish Harlem and the people who lived there.
Other pictures that gained him notoriety included different types of long term projects including “Brooklyn Gang”. This included a series of shots over a number of years that described and told the story of the gang scene in New York during the 1960’s.
My favorite photos taken by Bruce Davidson are the photos of Spanish Harlem in the 1960’s. These photos impressed me because of the way that he captured poverty and depression in the shots. The black and white frames added a sort of realness and drama that makes the pictures more interesting than if they were to be in color.
My overall favorite picture is pictured below. (Spanish Harlem, 1960’s) This photo is amazing to me because of the different aspects of it. In the forefront you see the two children who look like they are struggling in a poverty ridden state of life, which they probably were. However, when you look thru the window you can see the city of 60’s Harlem below. To me, that is a powerful photo. It makes you think about all the crime and other things that were happening right below the bridge and down in the streets. A truly inspirational photo.
http://mediastore2.magnumphotos.com/CoreXDoc/MAG/Media/Home1/4/a/6/2/NYC12455.jpg
All other photos from Bruce Davidson can be viewed at
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