A large-format camera: In 1972 he committed to colour and switched to large format, often 8×10; his Cape Light is considered a classic of colour photography.
The icon is an original FilmAnalysis drawing of an ordinary object, not a copy of any photograph. It is a way into the photographer’s work; the explanation follows the sources below.
An editorial summary of the body of work by FilmAnalysis: interpretation, not historical record.
From fast colour street work in 1960s New York to the slow, luminous large-format pictures of Cape Light: porches at dusk, bay water, bathers, all held in a soft, pearly light.
Colour
Pastel, luminous, warm dusk colour; later work especially soft.
Composition
Open, horizontal, lots of sky and air.
Light
Twilight, overcast, long soft gradations.
Tone
Bright key, low contrast, highlights that never break.
Texture
Smooth large-format rendering.
Mood
Serene, expansive, hopeful.
Recurring motifs
A porch or pool at dusk in pale colour
Sky filling most of the frame
Light that seems to come from everywhere
Representative works
Cape Light (1978)
Bystander: A History of Street Photography (1994)
Aftermath: World Trade Center Archive (2006)
Related photographers
Photographers with a similar style Interpretation
Ordered by the FilmAnalysis editors’ style estimates: closeness of visual language, not a teacher, a group or an influence.
