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Dorothea Lange

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description Dorothea Lange Overview

Dorothea Lange was an American photographer renowned for her impactful documentary work documenting the human cost of the Great Depression. Her photographs, frequently in black and white, offered a stark portrayal of rural poverty and displacement, specifically focusing on migrant workers and their families. Lange’s images provided crucial social commentary and are particularly relevant to historians, sociologists, and those studying this era of American history.

help Dorothea Lange FAQ

What is Dorothea Lange's most famous photograph?

Dorothea Lange's most iconic image is "Migrant Mother," taken in 1936 in Nipomo, California. The photograph features Florence Owens Thompson and her children and became a defining symbol of the human suffering during the Great Depression.

Did Dorothea Lange work for the government during the Great Depression?

Yes, she worked for the Resettlement Administration and its successor, the Farm Security Administration (FSA). Between 1935 and 1939, her federally funded photography brought the desperate conditions of rural farmers and migrant workers to the attention of the American public.

Did Dorothea Lange photograph Japanese internment camps?

Yes, during World War II, the War Relocation Authority hired Lange to document the forced relocation and internment of Japanese Americans. Her stark and critical photographs of this process were considered so sympathetic that the Army impounded them until after the war ended.

What camera equipment did Dorothea Lange use for her photography?

Lange primarily used a heavy Graflex Series D camera, which featured a focal plane shutter and allowed her to shoot quickly without looking through a traditional viewfinder. She later used a Rolleiflex twin-lens reflex camera, but the large format capabilities of her early cameras allowed for incredible detail in her black-and-white portraits.