Introduction
Many people believe that to impact the world, they have to make significant, active, and evident contributions. However, there are numerous examples of other types of influence, and photography is one of them. Indeed, photographers use their unique skills and cameras as primary weapons to capture a range of positive and negative situations and concepts, allowing the public to see them through their own eyes. It is more impactful when a photographer has experienced what they capture, and Gordon Parks, who lived in poverty and faced discrimination, took photos to draw attention to these issues.
Early Years of Life
To begin with, it is essential to describe Gordon Parks’s childhood, as many factors from his early life shaped him as a person and as a photographer. According to PBS NewsHour, he was born in Fort Scott, Kansas, in 1912(00:01:12-00:01:18). Parks was the youngest of his parents’ fifteen children, and the whole family lived in severe poverty, facing discrimination and segregation (The Gordon Parks Foundation).
Thus, the young boy experienced the hatred that his white peers demonstrated toward Black people, and he was even discouraged by his teachers from continuing his education. As described by researchers, when he was a teenager, Parks lost his mother, who always inspired and encouraged him, and a year later, he found himself living on the street (PBS NewsHour 00:01:18-00:01:26). He worked as a busboy, piano player, singer, and others while also reading books and striving to find his path to success, ultimately leaving to Chicago.
Personal Life
Gordon Parks was married and divorced several times, and his last romantic relationship ended with his death in 2006. He lived for almost 30 years with his first wife, Sally Alvis, and then for about 10 years with his second wife, Elizabeth Campbell (“Gordon Parks Biography”). He then married Genevieve Young, who was the editor of his book The Learning Tree. Gordon Parks had four children, one of whom followed in his father’s footsteps. Gordon Parks Jr. became a famous and talented filmmaker but died in an airplane crash in 1979.
Photography
It is possible to say that Parks was not initially interested in or passionate about photography. At the age of twenty-five, he saw pictures of migrant workers in a magazine and purchased his first camera, teaching himself how to take pictures. With his talent and determination, he swiftly captured the focus of Marva Louis and other impactful figures (“Gordon Parks Biography”).
After relocating, Parks began photographing Chicago’s South Side and its low-income Black neighborhoods. According to researchers, “In 1941, Parks won a photography fellowship with the Farm Security Administration for his images of the inner city” (“Gordon Parks Biography”). He then continued searching for his style and vision and worked for famous magazines, such as Vogue and LIFE. Instead of taking pictures of models in static poses, he captured them in motion, which set his work apart from others. Although he could merely focus on fashion photography, Parks was highly concerned with segregation, racism, and discrimination, and used his camera as a weapon to capture inequality and fight against it.
Impact on the World
Gordon Parks is considered one of the most important and influential photographers of the twentieth century. Fulleylove writes that “his photojournalism during the 1940s to the 1970s reveals important aspects of American culture, and he became known for focusing on issues of civil rights, poverty, race relations, and urban life.” Parks highlighted the possibility of becoming a fashion photographer while also remaining concerned about issues of inequality, discrimination, and segregation. He also contributed to transforming the approach to capturing models in motion rather than in a poised pose, and after him, other photographers adopted this style. Because of his works, people nowadays can better understand American life and the culture of that period.
The Most Impactful Photographs
All the pictures taken by Gordon Parks are exceptional and meaningful, but some have had the most significant impact on the world. For example, his 1942 photograph titled American Gothic symbolizes the life of pre-Civil Rights America (Fulleylove). The picture shows FSA worker Ella Watson standing in front of an American flag. It refers to how Black individuals are also supposed to be the symbols of the country, but are equipped with only mops and brooms, which emphasizes their disadvantaged state. Further, his Emerging Man (1952) is a visual representation of Ralph Ellison’s novel Invisible Man. With his photograph, Parks not only supported the book but also highlighted the emotional and physical isolation African Americans experience.
Conclusion
To conclude, Gordon Parks contributed significantly to the development of photographic approaches and also helped highlight the discrimination and inequalities faced by African Americans. His challenging childhood and his mother’s participation and wisdom taught Parks to improve his talents, and many of his photographs became highly recognizable and impactful. In American Gothic and Invisible Man, he emphasizes the value and actual position of Black people in the U.S., underscoring the need to promote acceptance.
Works Cited
Fulleylove, R. “7 Gordon Parks Images that Changed American Attitudes.” Google Arts & Culture.
“Gordon Parks Biography.” Biography, 2021.
The Gordon Parks Foundation. “Biography.” The Gordon Parks Foundation.
PBS NewsHour. “How Self-Taught Photographer Gordon Parks Became a Master Storyteller.” YouTube, 2019.