Tam-essays-paul Strand

Paul Strand 1890: 16th October - Born in New York City 1902: At the age of 12, given a camera by his father. 1904: Joined the Ethical Culture School where he was taught photography by Lewis Hine – responsible for the concept of documentary photography - was photographing immigrants arriving at Ellis Island. Lewis Hine took Strand to “Little Galleries of the Photo-Secession” later renamed to 291. Stieglitz later used this space to introduce to the United States the early modernist art works from European artists - such as Henri Matisse, Auguste Rodin, Henri Rousseau, Paul Cezanne, and Pablo Picasso. (Alfred Steglitz would later promote his work at 291 and in his publication Camera Work.) 1911: Became self-employed commercial photographer. WW1 : Army Medical Corp 1925: Made a documentary film called “Manhatta” with Charles Scheeler 1926: Visited New Mexico for the first time. Depression: Active in politics. Committed socialist. 1930-33: Returned to New Mexico for three consecutive summers; photographed artists friends and acquaintances. 1932: Asked by Mexican government to run the department of film and photography at the Museum of Fine Arts. Thirties: Made documentary films. 1935: Visited USSR. 1936: Started Photo League with Berenice Abbot; to provide radical press with photographs of trade union activities and political protests. 1945: MoMA retrospective Late 40ies: Members of the Photo League were investigated by the House of UnAmerican Activities Committee. This led to members being blacklisted and Strand decided to move to France.

1960ies: traveled and photographed North and West Africa. 1976: Died in France at the age of 86. Misc 1820ies : First photograph 1884: Kodak invented dry gel on paper (film). 1888: Kodak started selling Kodak Brownie for $1. “You press the button, we do the rest”. (Brownie was a cartoon character by Palmer Cox). Pictorialism was a photographic movement in vogue from around 1885 following the widespread introduction of the dry-plate process. It reached its height in the early years of the 20th century, and declined rapidly after 1914 after the widespread emergence of Modernism. Pictorialism largely subscribed to the idea that art photography needed to emulate the painting and etching of the time. Most of these pictures made were black & white or sepia-toned.