Lisette Model was an Austrian street photographer born in Vienna in 1906. She had entered the world of photography when she visited her mother and sister in Nice, France. This trip and the photos she took would become part of her first published work. Shortly afterwards she moved to New York City. She had arrived to America towards the beginning of World War 2, this timing would help her gain exposure in America because there were few other photographers around.

Lisette Model’s work would be considered “street photography.” She could capture portraits of people along the streets. Her work in France to New York City all show portraits primarily focusing on individuals. However, in her series Reflections she could capture not only the subject but also the surroundings. It is obvious that Model would typically capture the “common man,” and not embellish or belittle the subject. The subjects consistently are doing ordinary everyday things, and Model captured that essence. While this may seem plain, Model’s exquisite use of her camera allowed her to expose the intricacies of her subjects. To achieve this, in some cases Model would crop her images to capture only the image that she wanted the viewer to witness.

Arguably Model’s most famous series is “Running Legs.” Which show blurred individuals walking around Wall Street. Model captures the essence of Wall Street, a fast paced and business formal lifestyle. One of the most prominent works from the series features a blurred woman in heels walking by, with a car and a bank with a flag in the background. The elegant but blurred legs encapsulate the movement. The shadows casted show an early morning. The series and Model’s other “simplistic,” works have convinced me to try to simplistic, and almost ordinary shots that show just a little character.