Weegee was an immigrant free-lance photographer during the
early and mid-nineteen hundreds. He had a radio that allowed him listen to the
police. Through this radio he would hear where crimes had taken place and would
arrive on the scene before the police got there. He took pictures of murders,
fires, and anything interesting enough to sell to tabloids and newspapers.
Upon entering the basement of the ICP museum I immediately
fell in love. The fact that the photos were worn and had creases gave then
character. Not only could you see the crime going on in the photo but the
crinkles brought it to another level that could not be reached without them. It
gave the viewer a look into the life of the photograph and created a curiosity
to know where it’s been. Another physical representation that was enjoyable was
the board that was set up. Once again, it gave the viewer a wonderful example
of how the photos would have been viewed during the time period.
Overall, I found the Weegee’s photos conveyed a very
romantic American era. Standing over the dead body there was almost always a
man in a suit and an old time hat. When looking at the picture the viewer can
almost smell the cigarette smoke and hear the hustle and bustle of the city. It
also gave a look back into the time where crime scenes were not protected like
they are today.
For someone who is very interested in history and is mesmerized
by this era this is an absolutely wonderful exhibit. I walked around this floor
of the museum more than once and am excited to go back. All though many of his
photos primarily involved crime, Weegee’s photos were always exciting and
pleasing to the eye.
