Bick 2  From Photgraph Magazine.

Bick 1

Essay by Jean Dykstra of Photograph magazine.

“Elizabeth Bick’s street photographs, some of which were published in a long-form photographic essay in the New York Times last week, capture the peculiarly isolating angst of the moment: New Yorkers practicing social distancing in a crowded city, staying apart together, navigating emptying streets in face masks and blue plastic gloves. Conscious of the need for physical distance, her subjects have a heightened awareness of their bodies in space and in relation to other bodies. Their movements feel almost choreographed, a recurring element in Bick’s work.

“A former dancer – she took her first dance class at the tender age of two – Bick says that ballet and modern dance “profoundly affected the way I see the body, how it translates into the rectangular frame of a photograph, the theatrics of light and shading.” Her movement studies are characterized by the rhythm of bodies, shadows, and the graphic backdrops that she scouts for her settings – a revolving door, a temporary construction barrier, the geometric lines of an urban plaza.

“In this period of necessary rule-following, Bick’s photographs have an inherent playfulness that feels like a welcome release. As a dancer who attended an all-girls Catholic school, Bick has a complicated relationship to rules that ultimately serves her photographs.”

Blogfinger note:  Use the link above to see a wonderful slide show of her work in the NY Times just 6 days ago.

I am most interested in her “movement studies” set in New York where infection rates are currently excessive and where those who venture outside have to self-choreograph their movements in order to be safe while protecting others in their photographic environments.

I find Bick’s photos to be wonderful with the energetic use of light, color and purpose. I sense fear in these two subjects who, nevertheless, set out to experience life despite the hazards.

The brilliant color use reminds me of a famous American photographer Constantine Manos whom I met when he gave his color course at the Maine Photographic Workshops called “This Magic Moment.”   He would play  that song while his students were showing their best course work to everyone.  His images, like Bick’s,  always had people and dramatic color and lighting, and, like hers, were full of energy.  Below is an example of his work:

Constantine Manos. Internet image.

I did learn something about color from him.  This is my photograph of Chico, but Constantine disliked photographs of animals because they don’t, according to him,  have the emotional energy of people, however others would disagree with that, and his influence on me is shown in the color and the light of this dog portrait.

Chico by Paul Goldfinger ©

Elizabeth Bick will be having a gallery show soon at The Houston Center of Photography. Featuring her on Blogfinger continues our tradition of presenting female photographers.

Paul Goldfinger,  Photography Editor at Blogfinger.net.  March, 2020.

KENNY VANCE: