"Trolley--New Orleans" by Robert Frank, 1955
This photograph is a snapshot in time of the racial divides during the Jim Crow era. I'm drawn into the facial expressions of the characters in this photo. The white woman at the front of the trolley has a cynical and unamused look on her face while the Black man at the back of the trolley has a face of exhaustion, yet a glimmer of hopefulness that I can perceive through his raised eyebrows.
The black and white divide and strong contrast of the two colors in this photograph are also extremely compelling to me. The symmetry of the white trolley windows in contrast with the black squares above make this photograph stand out. I can envision the contrasting shapes and black and white colors of this photograph even when I close my eyes.
I'm also fascinated by the fact that Robert Frank grew up outside of the United States. He has no preconceived notions about America and is photographing every day people from a very fresh lens. His curiosity shines through his photography of a racially divided United States.
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