Influences on Paul Strand

 The photographer Paul Strand was influenced by different things from the era in which he lived.  One thing that influenced him was his social consciousness, which resulted in photographs involving art and politics.  Also, he was inspired by modernist photographers like Alfred Stieglitz, who gave him new ideas after viewing one of his galleries in New York.  In the 1950s, Paul moved to Europe, where he developed a new passion.  He was very inspired by the impoverished communities there, and took pictures of them to show to the world.  Then, he traveled to Africa to take pictures of the people thus promoting social change.



link to article: http://www.phillipscollection.org/research/american_art/bios/strand-bio.htm

Under the Dark Cloth by Paul Strand

 The title of this photo, by photographer Paul Strand, is Under the Dark Cloth. The first thing I notice when looking at it is all of the people gathered around the doorway.  Their expressions appear sad. and they seem as though they are feeling down.  Depression is the mood of this photo, due to the body language of the people and the setting.  A few of the men have their hands in their pockets or are slouched over. The setting looks to be taken place in the 1930s and possibly during the Great Depression.  It can be inferred that they are all poor, because of the clothes they wear, and the fact that they don't have shoes.  Around this time period it was common for people to have economic difficulties like finding jobs.  The house is below average living standards, which adds to the point.  Paul Strand was most likely portraying the hardships families had gone through during this era.  He could have been taking pictures like this to show us a visual of what is going on.