Gordon Parks: An Outstanding Photographer
Gordon Parks has interested me for a long time. He is 88 years old and is a very talented man. Besides a photographer, he is a writer, musician and filmographer. On November 30, 1912, Gordon Parks was born as the last child his parents, Sarah and Jackson Parks had. Gordon's mother had doed when he was only 15 years old. He was then sent to live with his sister in Minnesota. For the next twelve years, he lived in Minneapolis working as a bus boy, piano player, dining car waiter, Civilian Conservation Corpseman and profeesional basketball player. After being inspired by a documentary war film, Gordon Parks bought his first camera iin 1938 at a pawn shop in Seattle. When he was young, no one appreciated him because he was a negro. The only one that had belived in him was his mother. In 1940, Gordon got his forst fashion job photographing whiote wealthy women at a local department store. Unfortunately, he double-exposed all but one exposure on his film. That one picture was enough for the store manager, Sally Murphey, to give him another chance. In 1942, Parks was awarded the Julius Rosenwals Award and moved to Washington to document social and cultural changes occuring throughout the United States. A few years later, he wrote two books on photography: Flas Photography and Camera Portraits. In 1949, he walked into the LIFE offices and refused to leave until his work was seen. Shortly after that, he started his full-time job as a LIFE photographer for 20 years, photographing over 300 assignments! Gordon Parks was sent to Paris and other places to photograph different people and places. Flavio was a twelve year old boy that was the head of his household that was in absolute poverty in the streets of Rio de Janero. After documenting his life and photographing this young boy, a story was written for LIFE magazine. Many people read this article and sent the boy money to buy a house. In 1969, Parks made his first big Hollywood movie, The Learning Tree. From 1970-1973, he was an editorial director for the afrocentric Essence magazine. After writing technical manuals, journalism, poetry, and memoir-based work for more than 30 years, Gordon Parks published his forst novel "Shannon" in 1981. In 1989, he directed the film Martin that goes along with his original ballet by the same name and is based on the asassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1997, Gordon Parks has a respected show, Half Part Autumn that displays his hotography and what he has accomplished. I am inspired in his ability to rise from no one caring about him, to people being astonished by the way he has become a successful photographer. I hope to work for a large magazine and travel around the world like he has done. Throughout his life, he has shown how people have suffered, including the misery he and his brother have gone through. He has helped these people and shown us that people should get a second chance. Photography can explain a story by saying no words at all, but by just showing an image that is incredible to our eyes. |
