Any photographer capturing the bustling, vibrant soul of New York City holds an artistic advantage. Weegee shot the nefarious underbelly of the city, Diane Arbus brought out the humanity in societal outcasts, and Alfred Eisenstaedt and William Klein captured the mundane whirlwind of everyday life. However, "Uncropped" throws the spotlight on James Hamilton, a magazine and newspaper photographer whose storytelling through photography can be seen as some of the best New York has to offer.
The 'Uncropped' documentary showcases hundreds of Hamilton's black-and-white snapshots, each brimming with a tactile quality and psychology making each photograph a narrative. These images, while aesthetically pristine, serve as an extension of New Journalism, documenting what Hamilton's partner Kathy Dobie refers to as "the choreography of street life."
Although unsupervised and natural, this "choreography" could be seen as society organizing itself along city pavements. James Hamilton, christened a "classicist" photographer, captured this chaos, finding structure within the disorder in every frame.
Hamilton's knack for spontaneously creating timeless moments of humanity amidst existential situations could have earned him more recognition. His portrayal of celebrities as real encounters and passion for photo composition set him apart from his peers. However, he remained somewhat elusive, focusing fiercely on his craft rather than fame.
Credited for his masterful composition and ability to make organic moments timeless, Hamilton contributed significantly to various renowned magazines and newspapers like Harper’s Bazaar and the Village Voice. Despite his immense talent, he resisted the commercialization of his craft.
Born in 1946, Hamilton was a quintessential bohemian. The documentary reveals him to be a maverick in his everyday life, an artist who missed the analog age, doing his processing and printing in a darkroom constructed in his kitchen.
In the late '60s, Hamilton traveled across the country, shooting hundreds of pictures, and ultimately landed his first job as the staff photographer at Crawdaddy. He captured authentic, unfiltered moments of musicians, backstage antics and intimate encounters and found himself in the midst of the punk revolution.
Hamilton remained a purist and lauded for his work ethics. Always with a tiny camera and a single flash, Hamilton avoided fame and power and lived for his pictures. His photographs vividly captured the raw, grungy, charm of New York in the '70s and '80s.
Hamilton, ever the audacious artist, shot some harrowing events, from Tiananmen Square to the Ethiopian war. Despite the danger and high-stakes circumstances, he persevered, producing remarkable images that continue to captivate audiences.
Today, despite four surgeries due to a road accident, Hamilton continues to be the modest artist, more passionate about his work than about self-promotion. With a body of work amassed over decades at his disposal, "Uncropped" is a fitting homage to his invaluable contribution to the photographic history of New York.
