# Photographers who are really good at making statements about life. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 17, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographers-who-are-really-good-at-making-statements-about-life/503360 "2009-07-17T17:40:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gitfiddle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/898d66/32.png) [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographers-who-are-really-good-at-making-statements-about-life/503360/1 "2009-07-17T17:40:28Z")
The other day, I got on the bus, and I got to thinking about photography. It was one of those moments when I wish I had my camera. The entire bus was lined with people all looking straight forward with headphone cords hanging out of their ears. It just seemed to say something. Then I started wondering where I could find pictures like that, where nothing is staged but it says something subtle yet poignant about day to day life. ---
**Author:** ![gitfiddle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/898d66/32.png) [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographers-who-are-really-good-at-making-statements-about-life/503360/2 "2009-07-20T01:49:28Z")
hmm. Thought I would have gotten some suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographers-who-are-really-good-at-making-statements-about-life/503360/3 "2009-07-20T01:53:05Z")
Lewis Hine Margaret Bourke White Ansel Adams ---
**Author:** ![BACI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce73a5/32.png) [@BACI](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BACI)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographers-who-are-really-good-at-making-statements-about-life/503360/4 "2009-07-20T03:52:08Z")
Three words: Henri. Cartier. Bresson. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographers-who-are-really-good-at-making-statements-about-life/503360/5 "2009-07-20T04:24:53Z")
Robert Frank, one of his most famous photos is of people on a bus ([http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://infocusphoto.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/frank\_trolley.jpg&imgrefurl=http://infocus.chrisbalin.com/&usg=\_\_t1RHeIFeqxGk4F4DJTjnUTr06rs=&h=678&w=1024&sz=308&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=ObWmDYOMw2reXM:&tbnh=99&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Drobert%2Bfrank%2Bbus%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4SKPB\_enAF269AF271%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://infocusphoto.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/frank_trolley.jpg&imgrefurl=http://infocus.chrisbalin.com/&usg=__t1RHeIFeqxGk4F4DJTjnUTr06rs=&h=678&w=1024&sz=308&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=ObWmDYOMw2reXM:&tbnh=99&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Drobert%2Bfrank%2Bbus%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4SKPB_enAF269AF271%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1)) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographers-who-are-really-good-at-making-statements-about-life/503360/6 "2009-07-20T05:14:19Z")
Alfred Eisenstaedt, who was most famous for [this picture](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vj_day_kiss.jpg), although my favorite of his work is [this one](http://www.life.com/image/tlp760343). ---
**Author:** ![gitfiddle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/898d66/32.png) [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographers-who-are-really-good-at-making-statements-about-life/503360/7 "2009-07-20T14:50:39Z")
Thanks for the suggestions so far. Henri Cartier Bresson was already one of my favorites. I’m surprised no one has mentioned Doisneau in that same vein. Most of the pictures/photographers so far have been from back in the day. Are there any more contemporary photographers of daily life? ---
**Author:** ![Stentor\_2.5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@Stentor\_2.5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stentor_2.5)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographers-who-are-really-good-at-making-statements-about-life/503360/8 "2009-07-20T15:28:26Z")
Martin Parr does this rather well. But really, just go to any bookstore or library and browse through the photography section. Used bookstores are pretty good for this, since photo books rarely go into multiple printings. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographers-who-are-really-good-at-making-statements-about-life/503360/9 "2009-07-21T02:20:04Z")
Garry Winogrand (1928-1984) might deserve some mention. He captured everyday life but made it look unusual and even surreal. Not really subtle, though. Some examples [here](http://www.fraenkelgallery.com/index.php#mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=6&a=6&p=0&at=0) Edit: Here’s a good one for today : [Fraenkel | Fraenkel Gallery](http://www.fraenkelgallery.com/index.php#mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=2&a=6&p=0&at=0) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographers-who-are-really-good-at-making-statements-about-life/503360/10 "2009-07-21T02:44:06Z")
Immediately thought of Robert Frank, but **madmonk** beat me to it! I am no photography expert, but IME what seems true and real to one person is corny and staged to another (or the same person at a different point in life). Lately I’m liking [Juliana Beasley’s work](http://www.julianabeasley.com/index.htm), especially her photos form Rockaway Beach. ---
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographers-who-are-really-good-at-making-statements-about-life/503360/11 "2009-07-21T03:03:49Z")
The everyday, documentary style is, I believe, not so much in demand these days. Current photography is much more about establishing the photographer’s personality rather than making statements about life. But for something a bit closer to our time, there is for example Susan Meiselas’s pictures of the Nicaraguan revolution of 1979. It is in color at least. Also, you might want to browse the homepage of [Magnum Photos](http://www.magnumphotos.com), a legendary photographic agency (which has hosted Bresson among many others). ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographers-who-are-really-good-at-making-statements-about-life/503360/12 "2009-07-21T05:47:58Z")
Walker Evans Weegee ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographers-who-are-really-good-at-making-statements-about-life/503360/13 "2009-07-21T10:14:36Z")
I think you will enjoy the work of **Martin Parr** , a British photojournalist who specialises in whatever is ordinary, mundane and everyday. You can find some examples of his work online but it’s better still to buy his books, which will give you a better idea of how he takes a given theme and explores it.