PhotographyPhotographyPhotographyPhotographyGordon ParksGordon Parks

Gordon Parks

Was a Photographer

Biography• Gordon Parks was born the

youngest in 1912 in Kansas to a poor, African-American family of 15 children.

• His mom never let him use his race as an excuse because she had very high expectations for him.

• She always believed that Black people were equal to White People.

A Hard Life• His mom passed away when he was

young, so he went to live with his older sister.

• His sister’s husband kicked him out because they didn’t like each other.

• He slept in trolley cars, hung around pool halls, worked as a piano player, and was a waiter on a luxury train.

Gordon Parks

He bought his first camera when he was 26, when he saw some

pictures in a magazine about poor workers.

Photo by Dorthea Lange

Time Line

1950s1930s

1960s

20061912 1970s

Gordon ParksHe is most famous

for his portraits.

This one is his most famous.

Does it remind you of another art

work?American Gothic, 1943

American Gothic by Grant

Wood, 1930American Gothic by Gordon

Parks, 1942

Gordon Parks

He endured much racism, but he

never forgot what his mom told

him.

He got a job doing fashion

photography for Vogue magazineParis,

1950

Gordon ParksHe liked

photographing beautiful models in beautiful

places, but he wanted to

tell stories with his camera.

Ingrid Bergman, 1949

Gordon Parks

One of the stories he wanted to tell was that of the

poor.

Beggar Woman and Child, Estoril, Portugal, 1950

Gordon Parks

He also wanted to show racial discrimination and injustice during the Civil Rights Movement.

Department StoreBirmingham,

Alabama, 1956

Malcolm X was a leader

during the Civil Rights Movement.

They became

great friends.

Malcolm X Addressing Black

Muslim Family Rally in Chicago, 1963

Time Line

1950s1930s

1960s

20061912 1970s

Gordon Parks

He also told stories of other African-

Americans during a America’s

cultural revolution.

Muhammad Ali, 1970

Gordon Parks

He did everything

from photography to writing, music, and

making movies.

Shaft, 1971

Gordon ParksWhen he was old, he

started making abstract

photography and paintings.

He passed away in March 2006.

A Memory,

1993

What is Photography?

It’s Art using a camera and film.

PhotographyIn photography, the camera is like the paintbrush, and the film

is like the paper

Photography

When the camera put the picture on the film, it makes

a negative.The real picture shows up when you print it on

paper.

CompositionIn Art, it’s important to think about

where to put everything in a

picture.

Artists use the Elements of Art

and the Principles of

Design to compose an

image.

Elements of ArtPhotography has:

LineFormSpaceValueColor

Photography has Lines• Line is a dot that moves from one

point to another

Photography has Lines

What kind of lines do you see here?

Photo by Gordon Parks

Photography has FormForm is a 3D closed area.

Photography has Form

What kind of form do you see?

Photography has Space

Space is the area around

Photo by Andy Goldsworthy

Photography has ValueValue is light and dark.

The Fontanelle FamilyBessie

and Kenneth,

Little Richard, Norman Jr. and Ellenat the

Poverty Board in New York City, 1967

Photography has Color

Photo by Gordon

Parks, 1962

Principles of DesignPhotography uses:

EmphasisMovement

Photography uses Emphasis

Emphasis is the strongest area of the composition

where all the attention goes

Ethel Shariff in Chicago, 1963

Photography uses

Movement

How can a photographer

create Movement?

Photo By Henri Cartier-Bresson,

1932

Conclusion• Photography is a new Art form• Gordon Parks was a Photographer

who “painted” important stories during important times during American History

• He used the Elements of Art and the Principles of Design to create is Photographs