"Migrant Mother" by Dorothea Lange. Image from Wikipedia.org
Grab a Hunk of Lightning is Dyanna Taylor’s documentary of the life of her grandmother and famous photojournalist, Dorothea Lange.
It reveals Lange’s challenging childhood (abandonment of her family by her father and contracting polio at age seven); her dream as a young woman (to leave her hometown of Hoboken, NJ and travel the world); and her unconquerable willpower to never give up.
It reveals Lange’s challenging childhood (abandonment of her family by her father and contracting polio at age seven); her dream as a young woman (to leave her hometown of Hoboken, NJ and travel the world); and her unconquerable willpower to never give up.
For example, her dream was sundered when she and her friend were robbed of all their money in San Francisco, CA.
To get out of the situation, Lange got a job at a photography studio in San Francisco and not long after, opened her own portrait studio in the same city.
Her first marriage in 1920 was to western painter Maynard Dixon. He had a daughter and together they had two sons. A major challenge of this marriage was Dixon leaving the three of them for months at a time to paint in the southwest. In 1935, Lange divorced Dixon and married economist Paul Taylor.
And it is with the deep love of Taylor and her own adventuresome spirit that Lange matures into the photojournalist we know today.
Her iconic “Migrant Mother” (shown above) is one of her many heart-wrenching photographs that documented the struggles of migrant workers during the Great Depression.
Other work that is just as moving and which only became known later in her life are her photographs of the relocation and internment of Japanese-Americans. At the time, the US military impounded these photographs as they were considered too critical and disparaging of the US government’s decision.
To get out of the situation, Lange got a job at a photography studio in San Francisco and not long after, opened her own portrait studio in the same city.
Her first marriage in 1920 was to western painter Maynard Dixon. He had a daughter and together they had two sons. A major challenge of this marriage was Dixon leaving the three of them for months at a time to paint in the southwest. In 1935, Lange divorced Dixon and married economist Paul Taylor.
And it is with the deep love of Taylor and her own adventuresome spirit that Lange matures into the photojournalist we know today.
Her iconic “Migrant Mother” (shown above) is one of her many heart-wrenching photographs that documented the struggles of migrant workers during the Great Depression.
Other work that is just as moving and which only became known later in her life are her photographs of the relocation and internment of Japanese-Americans. At the time, the US military impounded these photographs as they were considered too critical and disparaging of the US government’s decision.
"Grandfather and Grandson at Manzanar Relocation Center by Dorothea Lange. Image from Wikipedia.org.
Throughout her life, Lange struggled with the demands of being a wife and mother; her passion to be a photographer; and health issues such as bleeding ulcers and post-polio syndrome.
Yet, through it all, her indomitable spirit is palatable—from her choice of husbands; to her critical eye and gifted hand that takes us to the depths of injustice and also reveals the hidden beauty and power of individuals; to her courage and unwillingness to let her ill health stop her from her passion of photography; to her love of huge, bold jewelry.
Yet, through it all, her indomitable spirit is palatable—from her choice of husbands; to her critical eye and gifted hand that takes us to the depths of injustice and also reveals the hidden beauty and power of individuals; to her courage and unwillingness to let her ill health stop her from her passion of photography; to her love of huge, bold jewelry.
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This engaging film is a true tribute to Lange.
Just click on the DVD cover to learn more about this remarkable woman and become privy to a greater selection of her amazing photographs. |
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Author and artist, Kathryn V. White loves well-conceived documentaries and life-affirming films. Her most recent book, Rumble Tumble Joy: A Journey for Healing, Inspiration, and Wholeness, is a finalist in the 2014 Wishing Shelf Book Awards. Find out more at: www.kathrynVwhite.com.
Author and artist, Kathryn V. White loves well-conceived documentaries and life-affirming films. Her most recent book, Rumble Tumble Joy: A Journey for Healing, Inspiration, and Wholeness, is a finalist in the 2014 Wishing Shelf Book Awards. Find out more at: www.kathrynVwhite.com.
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