With his melodramatic, stylised photographs, Louis Faurer finds quiet poignancy amongst the melée of New York’s streets

Pennsylvania Station, New York, 1946-47 One photographer whose work I came across when reading and looking at photographs from The Family of Man exhibition was Louis Faurer. I have decided to look at his work more closely as I feel there is an intriguing quality to his photographs that will be beneficial for me to look at and discuss to influence my relationship project ideas. Louis Faurer was an American fashion and street photographer. His personal work that he took between the 1940s and 60s is what particularly interests me, which were mainly street photographs taken in New York where he had a particular sympathy for the people of Times Square. At this time America was becoming a postwar society and his subjects often look as though they are recovering from the war or the depression of the 1930s. His photographs show us a New York that is made up of traffic, country boys, fast girls, hotels, old timers and tourists. Faurer seemed drawn to people who look like they had money but now look to be survivors of their wealth; they appear well dressed but tired and worn down. And despite these photographs being taken on the busy streets of New York they show us intimate moments that appear part of a longer sequence. His images seem to comment on order and control in this society, they freeze moments in ways that make them feel part of the cities routine. Detail of 5th Avenue, New York N.Y.C 1948 Above is one of my favourite photographs of Faurer's and shows two identical twins walking alongside one another on 5th Avenue in New York. What you instantly feel when looking at this photograph is this feeling of confrontation that Faurer has created because these two women are obviously aware of the photographer, as they are looking straight down the lens of Faurer's camera. I was reading about this photograph in one of Faurer's books and he did a lot of cropping to this photograph to get the heads of these two women to fill the frame. This with the space above them allows the viewer to look up past these women and notice these two men stood behind them looking looking at the camera in a similar way. It suggests a real interest in relationships and the empathy Faurer had for his subjects, in comparison to someone like Arbus who would often isolate her subjects and give stigma to the people she photographed. This photograph also shows us Faurer's style of photography, which borrowed heavily from the film noir idiom. Using large amounts of shadow and darkness, high contrast and more unusual compositional techniques as shown in this image with the tight cropping. He explored the psychological subject matter of America's anxiety in it's transition to a postwar society with a visual approach informed by documentary photography. These very subjective, psychological images of people relate very much to films of psychological exploration, such as those of Michelangelo Antonioni and Stanley Kubrick. I think what makes his images so potent is the way solitude is created in these moments on the busy streets of New York. The film noir style in particular however makes these images to look at now a days a rather haunting experience. These images seem to show us a new intimidating American force that eventually led them into the cold war. The busy streets of this American city here look to be disconnected and reflective; showing us how American people readjusted. Looking at these psychological, raw and melancholic images of American people at this time has made me think more about potential subject matter I could photograph here in Cornwall. Looking more at a theme and doing more candid street photography that aligns with and reflects that theme. For example I have listed potential subject matter such as a pre-brexit Cornwall and the anticipation of the UK leaving the EU in this community. I have also thought about what more closely effects the local people here and also students here in Falmouth. I would need to work out my approach however and if it really is the kind of work I would like to create before committing to a project of this kind. It really isn't the kind of work I have thought about creating before. However I do think I need to start going out and trying some street photography, to see if I am comfortable taking photographs in this way. 14th street horn and hardart new york 1947

With his melodramatic, stylised photographs, Louis Faurer finds quiet poignancy amongst the melée of New York’s streets

Wedding Cake Hat on Times Square, New York City Louis Faurer, Self Portrait, 42nd street EL station looking towards

Wedding Cake Hat on Times Square, New York City Louis Faurer, Self Portrait, 42nd street EL station looking towards

Βαθύτατα ειλικρινής, αρνήθηκε την υπερβολική έκθεση βίαιων σκηνών που θα μπορούσαν να ταπεινώσουν τους ανθρώπους και εσκεμμένα προβάλλει τον εαυτό του σε αυτούς.

Dans un recoin de l’exposition consacrée à Louis Faurer à la Fondation Cartier-Bresson (jusqu’au 18 décembre ; ensuite à Grenade d’avril à juin 2017) est projeté un petit film, Time Capsule, filmé …

Pennsylvania Station, New York, 1946-47 One photographer whose work I came across when reading and looking at photographs from The Family of Man exhibition was Louis Faurer. I have decided to look at his work more closely as I feel there is an intriguing quality to his photographs that will be beneficial for me to look at and discuss to influence my relationship project ideas. Louis Faurer was an American fashion and street photographer. His personal work that he took between the 1940s and 60s is what particularly interests me, which were mainly street photographs taken in New York where he had a particular sympathy for the people of Times Square. At this time America was becoming a postwar society and his subjects often look as though they are recovering from the war or the depression of the 1930s. His photographs show us a New York that is made up of traffic, country boys, fast girls, hotels, old timers and tourists. Faurer seemed drawn to people who look like they had money but now look to be survivors of their wealth; they appear well dressed but tired and worn down. And despite these photographs being taken on the busy streets of New York they show us intimate moments that appear part of a longer sequence. His images seem to comment on order and control in this society, they freeze moments in ways that make them feel part of the cities routine. Detail of 5th Avenue, New York N.Y.C 1948 Above is one of my favourite photographs of Faurer's and shows two identical twins walking alongside one another on 5th Avenue in New York. What you instantly feel when looking at this photograph is this feeling of confrontation that Faurer has created because these two women are obviously aware of the photographer, as they are looking straight down the lens of Faurer's camera. I was reading about this photograph in one of Faurer's books and he did a lot of cropping to this photograph to get the heads of these two women to fill the frame. This with the space above them allows the viewer to look up past these women and notice these two men stood behind them looking looking at the camera in a similar way. It suggests a real interest in relationships and the empathy Faurer had for his subjects, in comparison to someone like Arbus who would often isolate her subjects and give stigma to the people she photographed. This photograph also shows us Faurer's style of photography, which borrowed heavily from the film noir idiom. Using large amounts of shadow and darkness, high contrast and more unusual compositional techniques as shown in this image with the tight cropping. He explored the psychological subject matter of America's anxiety in it's transition to a postwar society with a visual approach informed by documentary photography. These very subjective, psychological images of people relate very much to films of psychological exploration, such as those of Michelangelo Antonioni and Stanley Kubrick. I think what makes his images so potent is the way solitude is created in these moments on the busy streets of New York. The film noir style in particular however makes these images to look at now a days a rather haunting experience. These images seem to show us a new intimidating American force that eventually led them into the cold war. The busy streets of this American city here look to be disconnected and reflective; showing us how American people readjusted. Looking at these psychological, raw and melancholic images of American people at this time has made me think more about potential subject matter I could photograph here in Cornwall. Looking more at a theme and doing more candid street photography that aligns with and reflects that theme. For example I have listed potential subject matter such as a pre-brexit Cornwall and the anticipation of the UK leaving the EU in this community. I have also thought about what more closely effects the local people here and also students here in Falmouth. I would need to work out my approach however and if it really is the kind of work I would like to create before committing to a project of this kind. It really isn't the kind of work I have thought about creating before. However I do think I need to start going out and trying some street photography, to see if I am comfortable taking photographs in this way. 14th street horn and hardart new york 1947

With his melodramatic, stylised photographs, Louis Faurer finds quiet poignancy amongst the melée of New York’s streets

Louis Faurer (1916 – 2001) was an American fashion and street photographer. The significance of his work was lauded by insiders, among them Robert Frank, William Eggleston, and Edward Steichen, who included his work in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) exhibitions ´In and Out of Focus´ (1948) and ´The Family of Man´ (1955).

Wedding Cake Hat on Times Square, New York City Louis Faurer, Self Portrait, 42nd street EL station looking towards

(1916 Philadelphia – 2001 New York, 84) Libri su Amazon – Libri Micamera 1949 New York Mattino, odore pungente di sigarette e di pipì…

With his melodramatic, stylised photographs, Louis Faurer finds quiet poignancy amongst the melée of New York’s streets

Beauty in the Wind (1948) Louis Faurer

Wedding Cake Hat on Times Square, New York City Louis Faurer, Self Portrait, 42nd street EL station looking towards

The Power of The Fragile Elizabeth Arden Cosmetics Saul Leiter FRAGILE BEAUTY Hair Jewels by Schreiner Bombe Coiffure by Juius Caruso Saul Leiter spray of quivering rhinestone flowers Vanilla blonde nouveau-Grecian coiffure by Michael Kazan Revlon make-up Necklace by de Firenze Blond satin hood by Lilly Dache Saul Leiter The Marchioness of Tavistock Weightless suspension of ostrich feathers by Bersoie Richard Avedon From Italy: The Sweep of Drama Short Ball Gown- Long Train by Fontana Richard Avedon China Machado Pale mauve satin evening coat, strapless white chiffon Eleanora Garnett Richard Avedon The Seductive Silhouette A Long Liquid Line Francesco Scavullo To slim a fuller figure Contessa di Roma Francesco Scavullo The Second Skin Lady Marlene Francesco Scavullo The Seductive Silhouette: Brave Beginnings A young look to womanly curves Poirette Francesco Scavullo Elsa Martinelli The Lightly Clinging Silhouettes Travilla Elsa Martinelli Howard Greer Photography: Louis Faurer Capucine After Sunset: The Soft Hush of Velvet Werle in Bianchini velvet Capucine Moss green velvet and sauterne satin by Helen Rose. Photography: Louis Faurer The Young Perfectionist Buoyant columns of blue jersey by Sportwhirl Melvin Sokolsky Fragile Beauty Harriet de Layer in Celeste Francesco Scavullo Fragile Beauty Velveteen afternoon dress by Cinderella Francesco Scavullo Fragile Beauty Florence Eiseman Francesco Scavullo Harper's Bazaar October 1961 ...to be continued

With his melodramatic, stylised photographs, Louis Faurer finds quiet poignancy amongst the melée of New York’s streets

Veruschka Von Lehndorff Wearing Jumpsuit by Louis Faurer

Wedding Cake Hat on Times Square, New York City Louis Faurer, Self Portrait, 42nd street EL station looking towards

Louis Faurer (1916 – 2001) was an American fashion and street photographer. The significance of his work was lauded by insiders, among them Robert Frank, William Eggleston, and Edward Steichen, who included his work in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) exhibitions ´In and Out of Focus´ (1948) and ´The Family of Man´ (1955).

With his melodramatic, stylised photographs, Louis Faurer finds quiet poignancy amongst the melée of New York’s streets

Born in 1916 to immigrant parents from the Russian/Polish border, Louis Faurer's childhood, in a South Philadelphia neighborhood of mostly Italian and Jewish immigrants, was not easy. "There were problems of survival," he once said. After graduating from the South Philadelphia High School for Boys in 1934, he spent a few summers as caricature artist

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