Gallery

 

Born in Brooklyn NY in 1941, Larry Fink grew up in a very politically interested family. He later studied at the New School for Social Research. Larry Fink became a famous American photographer known for his Black and white images of American society. Even as a child, Fink had always had an interest in photos. At age 12, he would use his father’s camera, and run to go take photos. He has worked as a professional photographer for over fifty-five years, capturing memories, social events, and personal moments. His work has been shown all over, including in the Museum of Modern Art, The NY Times Magazine, and other museums such as the Heckscher Museum of Art, which is where it caught my attention. 

    His display of The Sabatine family photographs, which he collected over the span of five years, really captured my attention. All shot in black and white, each photo represented a very special occasion to the Sabatine Family. The Sabatinefamily were Larry Finks neighbors when he lived in Martin Creek, PA. He shot special birthdays and milestones, capturing unforgettable moments. Each photo displays a celebration. This specific line of photos really grabbed my attention because I thought they were so special and pure. The thought of photographing real people in real time enjoying their lives was so nice to think about. How they could look back at these photos and reminisce. These photos made me think back to when I was little and celebrating birthdays and special occasions with my loved ones. They really spoke to me.

           He captured the universal expressions of happiness, as shown in the photo of Pat Sabetines birthday. The light is mostly caught on the faces of the baby, and grandpa. There are slight shadows and darkness in the background of the kitchen, with the photo mainly focusing on the two people’s joy. There is a light focusing simply on the only two people in the photo. The photo has no color yet feels warm and bright because of how he captured the two people in the photo looking happy, and with the baby wearing a bright colored party hat, you can feel the good energy. This photo was taken in 1980, where they were celebrating the 11th birthday of a family member. Fink successfully captured the focus of the two people, drawing emphasis on their facial expressions, and joy. I loved this photo simply because as soon as a looked at it I smiled. He did a wonderful job capturing the joy and radiance that was felt in that moment.

        Another photo by Fink in this series that caught my eye was the first photo, which captured Pat Sabatine when he was 8, being lifted by a relative. Another black and white photo, yet you can feel the moment the photo captures. Outside, with the background being dull and dark, we heavily focus on the two people in the front and middle of the photo. The whole photo is quite blurry, yet the two main people are in focus, which pulls the views eye towards them. The main subject in this photograph are the two people, everything else around them is not important. There is a light mainly focusing on the people as well, which further brings the attention to them. The photo makes me feel happy and emotional because it is such a pure moment. It is an adult playing around with a young kid, you can tell they are both having fun and just messing around. It feels like a pure photo, capturing life when it is simple and fun for children. This specific photo was taken from a front view, with the main subjects directly in the middle of the photo. The main subject is light, and the rest of the background is dark, grabbing the viewers eyes towards the special moment. 

    In all I chose these two specific photos because Fink used the perspective to successfully focus on their faces, and actions. He captured the main focuses in light while the unimportant backgrounds were darker, for the people to stand out more. His photos draw the viewers together because these captured moments make you feel warm and empathetic. Although they are shot in two colors, you can feel the vibrance of emotions depicted in these photographs. Finks choice in framing, focus, and lighting, highlights familiar expressions seen on people’s faces, and connection. Anyone seeing these photos can feel the same emotion coming from the images. His photos make you feel connected, which is why they drew my attention so simply.