Summary Of Bruce Davidson

In Bruce Davidson’s photo, U.S.A. New York City. 1964. Writer James Baldwin and his three nieces, we are given a glimpse into the private life of the late writer James Baldwin. The black and white photo captures Baldwin and his nieces sitting on the floor next to a piano that fades into the background. The photo alone represents the loving and nurturing side of Baldwin as he serves as a strong, dominant figure in the back. His presence signifies that nothing will harm the girls as Davidson invades a personal space. Choosing to have the lights off, while everyone sits in this small space, allowed Davidson to capture the closeness of the family. Immediately you can tell who the oldest niece is and who the youngest are by posture, gesture, and

With bangs in front of her face, and her hair blending in with the piano, not only is she unbothered, but she also shares a smile which in fact shows the interaction that happened between Davidson and herself. While the second oldest sits on the left side of Baldwin, she seems skeptical of Davidson and not at all at ease the way her older sister is, however, she does seem willing to engage with Davidson, but only from the comfort of her uncle’s arms, which she holds the back of. The youngest of the three sits on the right side of Baldwin, bow in head and ruffles around her neck, slouched over his legs listening and watching. With her arm wrapped around her uncles’, she watches Davidson and makes sure that he keeps a safe

Davidson admitted that he wanted to meet the people, “eye to eye”, but also wanted to capture the stories and lives of his subjects. His goal was to allow their truth to come out through his work. Some people objected to him photographing them only because they were scared of the consequences. In one man’s case, he thought that he would lose his benefits if Davidson took a picture of him collecting metal and selling it, but on the other hand, the man’s mute son wanted his photo taken and attention given. It was his giving personality and intentions that allowed him to touch so many people and be able to cross a racial barrier. That was a major turning point in