DOC NYC – “Uncropped” (Seth Shire)

“Uncropped” which had its DOC NYC 2023 is a visually stunning, roller coaster ride of a documentary taking the viewer through the world of photographer James Hamilton. Street photographer, war photographer, photographer of pop culture icons, portraitist – Hamilton’s pictures form a cultural diary of New York City from the 1960s to the 2000s.

“Something in my brain tells me when to shoot,” Hamilton explains about his photography. Having no preference for shooting in black and white or color he explains that if he is shooting using color film, he sees everything in color. If he is shooting with black and white film, he sees everything in black and white. The iconic black and white photographs he took of BB King, Janis Joplin and others, after talking his way into a music festival in Texas in 1969, are almost luminescent.

Hamilton’s work has appeared in “The Village Voice,” “Harper’s Bazaar,” “Rolling Stone,” “Vanity Fair,” “The New York Observer,” “The Herald,” “Craw Daddy,” and “New York” magazine.

One of the secrets to Hamilton’s success is his ability to develop a strong rapport with each of his subjects and, as a result, gets to something beneath the facial surface. It’s not just the photograph,” friend, songwriter and guitarist Thurston Moore observes, “there’s always something else going on.”

Hamilton proves to be an amiable and frank subject whether interviewed alone or with fellow photographers with whom he has worked over the years. He speaks openly about his experiences working through five decades at seemingly every New York City publication, most of whose editors gave him a free hand to publish whatever pictures he wanted. Hamilton makes the point that journalism is the first draft of history. His photographs bridge the gap between journalism and art. Hamilton talks about having worked at fashion magazine “Harper’s Bazaar” even though he has no interest in fashion, proving that his aesthetics and politics transcend genres.

Hamilton still lives in the same apartment he once shared with two roommates when he first came to New York City in the summer of 1966. The apartment includes his self created “kitchen darkroom.”

Director, co-producer and editor D.W. Young keeps the proceedings moving at a kinetic pace, cutting Hamilton’s pictures together to the point where the editing makes the photographs look almost animated. The film’s interviews are also appropriately intercut with Hamilton’s photographs which illustrate the topics he is speaking about.

“Uncropped” is the story of an artist who has clearly gone after that which he loves and who truly lives with, and in, his art.

For information on screen times visit http://www.docnyc.net.