Paul Strand

Paul Strand was a famous man who took pictures.

His father gave him a camera when he was twelve. This gift helped him start his art. He also made films to show life in cities. He used his camera to help people and change things. He even took pictures of people without them knowing. Later, he moved to live in France.

He made many books about far lands. His art is still very special today.

Paul Strand was a famous American photographer.

He helped make photography a respected art form. His father gave him a camera when he was twelve. This gift started his long career.

Strand made many types of art. He took still photos and made films. His first film was called Manhatta. It showed daily life in New York City. He also used his camera to help people. He helped start the Photo League. This was a group of photographers who worked for social causes. Some people even criticized him. He once used a hidden lens to take photos of people. They did not know he was watching.

Later in life, Strand moved to France.

He lived there for twenty-seven years. He made many books of photos about different places. These books showed life in New England, Italy, and Egypt. He even made a book about Ghana. His work is still very important today. One of his photos sold for a very high price in 2013.

Paul Strand was a famous American photographer and filmmaker. He helped make photography a true art form in the 20th century.

He was born Nathaniel Paul Stransky in New York on October 16, 1890. His parents were from the Czech people. When he was twelve years old, his father gave him a camera. This gift sparked a creative life that lasted six decades. He worked across the Americas, Europe, and Africa.

Strand used his camera in many different ways. He made still photos and also worked in motion pictures. In 1921, he made a silent film called Manhatta with Charles Sheeler. This film showed the daily life of New York City. He also made a film called Redes in Mexico between 1932 and 1935. To take portraits, he sometimes used a clever trick. He would hide a working lens under his arm. He would then put a fake lens on the side of the camera. This meant people often did not know he was taking their picture.

Strand was very active in groups that used art for change. In 1936, he helped found the Photo League. This was a group of photographers who worked for social causes.

He worked with people like Elizabeth McCausland and Ansel Adams. They all helped with a publication called Photo News. Strand was a leader in this group. He believed art could help promote important political ideas. Some people in the government thought these groups were subversive.

Later in his life, Strand moved to a new home. In June 1949, he left the United States for Europe. He spent the next 27 years living in Orgeval, France. He lived there with his third wife, Hazel Kingsbury Strand.

Even though he did not learn French, he stayed very busy. He made six special books that were like photo portraits of places. These included books about New England, France, Italy, and Egypt. He also made a book about Ghana in 1976.

Today, we remember Strand as a master of his craft. In 1984, he was put into the International Photography Hall of Fame. His work is shown in many famous museums around the world. One of his photos, called Akeley Motion Picture Camera, sold for $783,750 in 2013. This shows how much people still value his skill. His life shows how a simple gift of a camera can change the world of art.

Paul Strand was a pioneering American photographer and filmmaker. He played a vital role in establishing photography as a legitimate art form during the 20th century. Along with modernists like Alfred Stieglitz and Edward Weston, he helped shift how the world viewed the camera. Strand's career spanned six decades and many different subjects. He captured scenes across the Americas, Europe, and Africa. His work helped bridge the gap between simple documentation and high art.

Strand’s journey began in New York City. He was born Nathaniel Paul Stransky on October 16, 1890. His parents were Bohemian immigrants from the Czech Republic. A significant moment occurred when he was twelve years old. His father gave him a camera as a gift. This sparked a lifelong interest in capturing the world. Later, he studied under the famous documentary photographer Lewis Hine. A school field trip eventually led him to the 291 art gallery. This gallery was operated by Stieglitz and Edward Steichen. Seeing modernist art there moved Strand to take his hobby seriously.

Strand used various techniques to achieve his artistic visions. In his early years, he experimented with formal abstractions. These were images that focused on shapes and patterns rather than clear subjects. His famous 1915 photograph, Wall Street, is a key example of this style. This approach even influenced the painter Edward Hopper. When performing portraiture, Strand used a unique and controversial method. He would mount a false brass lens on the side of his camera. He then hid a real, working lens under his arm. This allowed him to photograph people without them knowing. Some critics disagreed with this way of working.

Beyond still images, Strand was also a filmmaker. He worked in motion pictures to explore new ways of storytelling. In 1921, he collaborated with Charles Sheeler on the film Manhatta. This silent film is often called the first American avant-garde film. It depicted the daily life of New York City. Between 1932 and 1935, Strand lived in Mexico. During this time, he worked on the film Redes, also known as The Wave. He also contributed to documentary films like The Plow That Broke the Plains. His film work often focused on social and political themes.

Strand was deeply involved in organized social movements. In 1936, he helped found the Photo League. This was a cooperative of photographers working for social and creative causes. He served as an "elder statesman" within this group. Along with Elizabeth McCausland, he was very active in the League. He worked with other famous photographers like Ansel Adams. They all contributed to a publication called Photo News. Strand believed art should be used to promote social reform. However, this involvement brought political scrutiny. In 1947, the Photo League was placed on a government list of subversive organizations.

In 1949, Strand decided to leave the United States. He traveled to Czechoslovakia to present his film Native Land. He eventually moved to Orgeval, France, where he lived for 27 years. He lived there with his third wife, Hazel Kingsbury Strand. Even without learning the French language, he remained highly productive. He created six significant books that served as "portraits" of different places. These included Time in New England and La France de Profil. He also documented Italy in Un Paese. His later work included studies of the Outer Hebrides, Egypt, and Ghana.

Strand's move to Europe was partly due to the political climate in America. He noted that McCarthyism was becoming widespread and "poisoning the minds" of people. During this era, he was closely monitored by security services. This was later revealed through de-classified intelligence files. Despite these pressures, his creative output remained impressive. He even insisted on printing his books in Leipzig, East Germany. He did this to use specific printing processes available there. This sometimes meant his books were initially banned in the American market.

Today, Strand's legacy is recognized by the global art community. In 1984, he was posthumously inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame. His photographs are held in many prestigious collections. For example, his work is part of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The financial value of his work remains very high. In 2013, his photograph titled Akeley Motion Picture Camera sold for $783,750. This sale occurred at Christie's in New York. His life demonstrates how photography can serve as both a personal expression and a tool for social change.