Margery Clark
Photography Lewis Hein
Lewis Hein was born
in 1874 in Wisconsin. His early years were difficult due to his fathers’
unexpected passing. He endeavored to support his family even as a young
child. He studied and went on to college
to become a teacher. Frank Manny, the superintendent
of the Ethical Culture School, invited Hein to learn and teach the new
technology of photography. He took students out to photograph many things in
New York including slums and Ellis Island. His photography was different from
most as they offered a more humane look at poverty and immigration.
In 1908 he was hired
full time by the National Child Labor Committee to photograph the plight of
small children in adverse working conditions.
As a hard working child supporting his family who went on to become and
educator I am sure this endeavor must have been close to his heat. While I
believe he didn’t start out to be a photojournalist, in essence that’s what he
became. He made notes about every child, measured their height with the buttons
on his coat and would even pretend to be someone else in order to gain access
to the hidden child labor atrocities. While his photo’s captured the despair of
the conditions, he again showed his respect for these little workers by
treating them with kindness. To him they were more than a social problem. His
careful and thorough documentation led to significant Changes in child labor
laws.
Hein later went to
Europe with the Red Cross to photograph the war. Some argue his pictures took
on a more sightseer feel and that he started to finally see himself as more of
an artist than photographer.
In 1930 he was hired
to document the construction of The Empire State building. In this endeavor his
true artistic skill is proven. Hein went to extraordinary measures to get some
amazing photographs befitting the grand undertaking that building the Empire
state building was. He had an elaborate basket built that balanced a thousand
feet above 5th Avenue. He put himself in peril but the results were
incredible. These photos area triumphant nod to what man can accomplish and the
determined, hardworking spirit of post war Americans.
He continued to photograph
for the government during the depression but soon the government contracts dried
up which meant the money did as well. Hein died in 1940 with a great deal of
debt and minimal recognition.
Hein is quoted as saying, “There are two things I wanted to
do. I wanted to show the things that had to be corrected. I wanted to show the
things that had to be appreciated.” His legacy of photographs does just that. He
used his art medium to bring recognition to people and work that been
overlooked and undervalued. Fifty years later, his legacy lives on and we recognize
his significant contributions to social reform and photography .
Reference page:
Biography.com Editors., Lewis Hein Biography., Bio., retrieved from http://www.biography.com/people/lewis-hine-9339610
Habert, J., Lewis W. Hein Biography., About Tech ., retrieved from
http://photography.about.com/od/famousphotogbiosfj/a/Lewis-W-Hine-Biography.htm
Lockett, T. ,
Remembering Lewis Hein., The
Humanist.com., October 2011., retrieved from http://thehumanist.com/magazine/september-october-2011/features/remembering-lewis-hine
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