#60 Frank Thorp V, Capitol Chap

Frank is an NBC producer and off air reporter who uses his access to the USA Capitol building to explore his film obsession.

Using a Speed Graphic camera and Aero Ektar lens he made a moving photo essay 100 days after the January 2020 storming of the Capitol building.

“After the Riot” is a series of portraits of 12 individuals who work in the building, made in locations that resonated with each person (from the day of the storming) and aims to bring a sense of closure to the subjects and indeed to Frank who was also in the building on that fateful day.

Project links.

See Frank’s portraits here as well as the YouTube video with interviews.

https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/after-the-riot-capitol-attack/index.html?fbclid=IwAR1GOkpqLm4ctRy9gAgT1cbbiUa5gPcp9kxQuMtwZJNA0WWkFLK7Tkrhh4Q

Things we chatted about on the show:

The community darkroom that Frank learned at: https://www.theartleague.org/

Richard Avedon was mentioned as one of the photographers Frank looked to before embarking on his portraiture project – Erik mentioned this book “Portraits of Power”.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Richard-Avedon-Portraits-Renata-Adler/dp/3865216757

Frank has started using Jason Lane’s dry plates – just to make his life a little harder.

https://www.pictoriographica.com/store/c5/www.pictoriographica.com/store/c5/All_Production_Dry_Plates.html

Frank owes a debt of gratitude to his friend David Burnett and Erik mentioned his body of work documenting the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

https://www.davidburnett.com/gallery.html?gallery=Aftermath&folio=Galleries#/0

Eugene Richards “War is Personal”.

https://eugenerichards.com/war-is-personal

James Guerin got a shout out as Frank is considering how he might make pinhole photography work for him in the Capitol building.

https://realitysosubtle.fr/

Mark Wilson, the legendary Getty photographer Frank got his first 4x5’s from. https://www.washingtonpost.com/photography/2020/11/20/tough-salty-outside-soft-kind-inside-remembering-getty-images-mark-wilson/

Frank Thorp’s social media:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/frankthorpv/