Frame A View
The Influence of "Emerging Man"
Shaft
The first time I think I heard the name Gordon Parks was when his first commercial movie, Shaft debuted in theaters. I was too young to decidedly understand the monumental stature of this Black movie director and photographer—let alone anything other than the name of the movie.
The blaxploitation era was a genre of its time. Black Power & Black Panther movements in full, civil & voting rights bills moving through Congress—as well as the deaths of both Malcolm X (1965) and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1968). Black heroes were sorely needed. In one of the first main stream backed movie studio blaxploitation films, Richard Roundtree as Shaft was front and center as the protagonist. With that, I didn’t see the movie until years later.
Though Parks had been successfully photographing and filmmaking for decades by this time, I wasn’t aware.
Emerging Man
I’ve been wracking my mind, looking back to the first time I laid eyes on Gordon Parks’ “Emerging Man” photograph. Conceived to illustrate “A Man Becomes Invisible,” a 1952 Life Magazine article about Ralph Ellison’s novel, The Invisible Man.
I figured my first time viewing it had to have been at a museum or gallery. Its impact thrown far back into my mind. So much so that I forgot about it until decades later when I saw it again. There was a flash, not just of recognition—but of its influence on me throughout the decades without me realizing.
Thinking Perspective
When viewing “Emerging Man,” the first thing to notice is most likely the eye contact John Bates (the model) is making with the viewers. Next maybe a thought about his surroundings and objects that are recognizable in the frame. For many, that’s where the viewing ends.
There are other things to consider. Within my own mindset, I try my best to think about all of what I’m looking at. What’s obvious. What’s not obvious that I need more viewing time. Clear observation that tends to happen with patience. Reviewing it time and time again.
I thought about his view. What does he see from his perspective. What could he possibly be looking at? Using that as a jumping off point for investigation and subjective reasoning. Creating stories and scenarios that the mind conceives.
Frame A View
A month or so ago, I came upon “Emerging Man” again during a web search. Not having seen it in decades, it brought back memories I hadn’t thought about in a very very long time. With those decades continuing to roll by, I realized that I’m still working on ideas generated from that first time seeing it.
In my Frame A View article from January 2025, I wrote about how the catalyst for the project was my “thinking outside the box.”
Well, the prime catalyst for the concept of the project was actually Parks’ “Emerging Man” when I first viewed it. Not connecting my memories to its first inkling until the web search made it crystal clear where it all germinated.
As I wrote in the article, this perspective is nothing new as a tool of photography. I’m not sure how many would consider apportioning such a huge part of their archive to a singular angle of view.
The impact of my viewing one particular photograph decades ago turned out to be one of the most monumental experiences of creativity in my life. My archive has more than 2,600 images related to a project sparked decades ago thanks to Gordon Parks. A valuable lesson about memory’s fallibility, creative latency, and the impacts art and creativity can have throughout the decades.
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Wishing you well until next time…
I was shaken with my first view of Emerging Man. My first b/w film teacher projected it on the class monitor and I squeaked, unaware of doing so, "Invisible Man!" It was a powerful first impression that conjured Ralph Ellison reactively. I don't have 2200+ low angle shots as you do, but I spent many months on my knees a few years back. I wasn't influenced by Parks; instead it was my toddler daughter who was my influence. When she was 4 or so, I got her a plastic digital camera and we walked to the sunday market together. Her images of course were largely out of focus, but her pov made me cry. I had never considered the hugeness of the world from her angle before, nor had I realized she was living in her own world down there. I always remembered that epiphany and wanted to replicate it once I had the chance. Bravo to you for this project. It's worth every knee scrape.
An interesting read, Kenneth, and some great images. That 'ant's eye view' makes for a very striking composition, something I've dabbled with, but not to this dramatic level. The Gordon Parks 'Emerging Man' is a remarkable image - no wonder it's stayed with you. John Bate's unflinching eyes seem to be intensified by only showing part of his face.
Well, this had me reading up on Parks. What a remarkable guy and what interesting life he had, against all the odds.. Thank you for sharing.
Btw on a more nerdy level, I also learned something else from reading about him and his first camera, the Voigtlander Brillant. I've always misread that as 'Brilliant' 🤔🙄🥴😊