Daring to Look
Dorothea Lange has always been one of my favorite photographers. She won me over with the classic “Migrant Mother” (shown here), which is “one of the most reproduced photographs in history.” An M.I.T. professor has chronicled Lange’s work in a new book titled Daring to Look: Dorothea Lange’s Photographs and Reports from the Field. 
In addition to the photographs, the book includes notes and descriptions written by Lange herself.
Originally a portrait photographer in San Francisco, she left behind her wealthy clients to delve into the depression era. In fact, she was part of the legendary group of photographers who documented the conditions of the American people during the New Deal. The work of these photographers was supposed to “help build public support for government improvement programs.” The book concentrates on Lange’s most prolific year — 1939. During that year, Lange took thousands of photographs in addition to documenting field reports. She was hoping to re-characterize her professional identity:
She decided then to “concentrate upon people, only people. All kinds of people, people who paid me and people who didn’t.” Whether or not the conversion was really so melodramatic, Lange’s transformation from portrait photographer of the urbane wealthy to “field investigator, photographer” (the title of her first job with the federal government in 1935), was life-changing.
I am enamored with revolutionaries, artists who challenge the mainstream. Dorothea Lange was, indeed, one of these revolutionary artists — “We unearthed and discovered what had been… neglected, or not known.” In 1965, Lange died of cancer. Late in her career, she commented on her work and her process: “No country has ever closely scrutinized itself visually. … I know what we could make of it if people only thought we could dare look at ourselves.”
Quotes and facts from Dorothea Lange: Daring to Look, at npr.org.
5 responses so far
I studied lange’s photos in an art history course and found them to be amazing. She did cause Americans to look within.
Have to admit I don’t know much about her - but I will definitely give her a look this afternoon. I mean, what else do I have to do?
Hold on my boss is calling…
BTW - love the blog! Not sure why I haven’t been reading longer!
ya know i’ve always looked at this picture in passing and it wasn’t until recently that i noticed the infant tucked in her arms…
dorotheas the shizz..
I’ve always loved her work. Museum of Modern art is the only place I’ve seen an exhibition of her work in real life.
Thanks for the shout out on the book I wasn’t aware of it.