Lee Friedlander
About Friedlander • American Photographer and Artist• 60s + 70s black and white film
photographer • American social landscape
photographer (Capturing the look of modern society)
• Lee did this by photographing urban life around towns and cities
• Known for his sense of humor in his images, shadows and angles.
• He moved to New York• Started photographing Jazz musicians
for their album covers at Atlantic records
• Photographed the likes of Aretha Franklin, John Coltrane, Ruth Brown, Ray Charles and others.
Early Career
• ‘’Documents’’ Exhibition in MoMa New York
• Rose to fame in this exhibition.
• Showcased work alongside famous photographers
• Break through in the eyes of the public
Exhibitions
• Shadows • Angles • Mirroring • Illusion • Self Portrait • Used text to
add humor
What does his work portray? • The blandness of everyday
life • Alienation in society • Vastness of the US• Evidence of Mankind • http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=9I2asDXS0h8
America By Car • Simple technique – but so effective
• Diary like –feel involved within the image.
• Perspective and composition
• Words speak volumes - modern
• Manufactured car against a natural landscape
America By Car • One of his most
famous and recent projects
• Showcased the US in a way it hadn’t been before
• Documented modern society
• Friedlander's prospective on America
• The change America was experiencing at the time
America By Car Is the framing necessary?
Yes- Intimate picture Involvement of subject, familiarity with the seating in the car Interesting angle is what makes the image so interesting
No- Complication to the image – puzzling Clearly define the subject without the distraction of the interior. Lighting
Related Photographers Danny Lyon – ‘’To record and glorify the life of the American bikerider’’. Wanted to document part of American life that was happening during the 60s. Similar to Friedlander documenting the social landscape. Robert Frank – ‘’complicated portrait of the period that was viewed as skeptical of contemporary values’’ Portrait of Post war life in the US and it’s views. Howard Kustler – ‘’The Rise and Decline of America's Man-Made Landscape’’ Friedlander photographed the urban landscape and the natural landscape.
‘’I always wanted to be a photographer, I was fascinated with materials. But I never dreamed I would be having this much fun. I imagined something much less elusive, much more mundane.’’ Lee Friedlander