Stanley Kubrick wasn't only a star film director; he was also a superb photographer. Take a look at some of his bold Chicago snaps for a 1949 Look magazine assignment.
Kubrick captured himself in the mirror of showgirl Rosemary Williams in 1949. Photo via Wikipedia
Before he became one of the most celebrated filmmakers of all time, Stanley Kubrick was an ace photojournalist. While in college, Kubrick took freelance photography jobs and sold a series of photographs to Look magazine. By 1946, he became an apprentice photographer for Look, and a full-time staff photographer soon after. This involvement on photography would later influence Kubrick and set his filming career in motion.
Look sent Kubrick to Chicago in the summer of 1949 as a photographer for a story titled “Chicago—City of Contrasts.” Kubrick’s beautiful photos reflected his keen eye for details and flair for composition. His simple and candid snapshots in crisp black-and-white depicted not only people and places, but also everyday scenes and stark realities surrounding the city.
See some of Kubrick’s gritty 1949 snapshots in Kodak Super XX Large format film below:
Photos from the Library of Congress
If you loved this article, you might also enjoy reading Lomography’s very own tribute to Mr. Kubrick!
5 comments
mephisto19
very WOW
yattering
This is awesome!
freckleface
Ah I love the 3rd photo so much! So amazing :)
vicuna
Kubrick's photographic work really deserves to be better known... Thanks for showing us these fantastic shots! :)
lokified
Incredible stuff!