Gordon Parks

Rogelio Martinez

Digital Photo II

Period 1

Educa

tion

Gordon Rodger Alexander

Buchanan Parks was born

November 30, 1912 in Fort

Scott, Kansas . He attended a segregated

school during his childhood.

Later he attended a High

School where blacks weren’t

allowed to play sports or attend

school events.

Work & Style of Photography Parks began as a Fashion photographer but loved documenting

Humanitarian issues with his images.

Parks was balancing work with fashion magazines and his passion for capturing the issues that were going on (racism and the civil rights movement).

His 1948 photo essay on Harlem’s gang leader won him widespread recognition and a spot as the first African American staff photographer and writer for Life Magazine.

He remained with Life Magazine for two decades.

His Type of Photography His Style of Photography covers racism, the life people were

living in the ghetto’s of Harlem. He is well known for his pictures during the Civil Rights Movement, and Urban area life.

He photographed Malcolm X.

Earl

y In

fluence

s His influences include

fellow FSA photographers Dorothea Lange and

Walker Evans.

Parks was drawn to photography as a young man after viewing pictures of migrant workers in a magazine.

He won many awards including the National Medal Of Arts in 1988.

He continued working until his passing in 2006.

Facts

Colored Entrance, Mobile, Alabama, 1956

The light in this picture is natural. The light is very dim you can tell it’s coming from the right side of the image by the little girls cheek. The lighting is very dim.

The main subject is the mom and the little girl.

This picture works so well because your eyes lead you to the lady and the girl and then the sign above them.

I chose this image because he really got his message across with an image like they say a picture is worth a million words.

SAN QUENTIN STATE PRISON, SAN QUENTIN, CALIFORNIA 1957

The lighting of this image is artificial lighting. The lighting is coming from the north of this image.

• The main subject is the guard and the prisoners. They stand out the guard is watching and the prisoners are going into their cells.

• This photograph is so striking because of the leading lines that lead you to the many people in this image. I chose this image because of the lines the way they lead your eye around the image.

• The lighting seems like it’s coming from the north but being reflected to the boy. It’s definitely natural light.

• The main subject is the boy you can tell because he was made to stand out in this picture by being closer to the camera. This image is striking because the boy is standing watching the sheep by himself and it was composed without centering the boy. I feel it tells us how children would work during this time and it reminds me of my father who began working at age 8, that is why I chose this image.

SHEPARD BOY WITH SHEEP, ESTORIL, PORTUGAL, ESTORIL, 1950

Malcolm X Addressing Black Muslim Rally, Chicago, Illinois, 1963

O The lighting is coming from the south of this image. The lighting is facing the peoples faces.

O The main subject is Malcolm X giving a speech to the crowd, you can tell because he stands out in the image.

O The great part of this picture was that the rule of thirds is applied and it brings attention to certain areas of the image.

O I would say there is a story behind this and it’s we can do anything and the way it is the image is inspiring. I selected it because the way it was set up.

STOKELY CARMICHAEL WALKING ON ROAD, LOWNDES COUNTY, ALABAMA, 1967

• The lighting of this image is coming from the north of this picture you can tell because he looks like a shadow and his face is not glowing and you see the light form in the background.

• The main subject is Stockely Carmichael, you can tell because the lines from the road/hill lead to him. Leading lines make this image amazing, I feel like the message behind this is no matter how far you come you have to always push your limit to reach what you want.

• I chose this image because it’s something similar to what we did in Digital Photo I.

Sources

• Kunhardt, Philip B. "About Gordon Parks ." The Gordon Parks Foundation . N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2012.

• Loengard, John. "Gordon Parks: Black Muslims." La Lettre . Life , n.d. Web. 1 May 2012. <http://lalettredelaphotographie.com/entries/6812/life-gordon-parks-black-muslims>.

• "Gordon Parks." Encyclopedia of World Biography. N.P, n.d. Web. 1 May 2012. <http://www.notablebiographies.com/newsmakers2/2007-Li-Pr/Parks-Gordon.html>.

• Parks, Gordon R. "Colored Entrance, Mobile, Alabama, 1956." The Gordon Parks Foundation . N.p., 1956. Web. 28 May 2012. <http://www.gordonparksfoundation.org/archives/535>.

Sources

• Parks, Gordon R. "San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, California 1957." The Gordon Parks Foundation . N.p., 1957. Web. 28 May 2012. <http://www.gordonparksfoundation.org/archives/537>.

• Parks, Gordon R. "Shepard Boy with Sheep, Estoril, Portugal, Estoril, 1950." The Gordon Parks Foundation . N.p., 1950. Web. 28 May 2012. <http://www.gordonparksfoundation.org/archives/542>.

• Parks, Gordon R. "Malcolm X Addressing Black Muslim Rally, Chicago, Illinois, 1963."The Gordon Parks Foundation . N.p., 1963. Web. 28 May 2012. <http://www.gordonparksfoundation.org/archives/535>.

• Parks, Gordon R. "Stokely Carmichael Walking On Road, Lowndes County, Alabama, 1967." The Gordon Parks Foundation . N.p., 1967. Web. 28 May 2012. <http://www.gordonparksfoundation.org/archives/535>.