Catching up with legendary street photographer Flo Fox

We've written about the prolific street photographer Flo Fox in the past … Today, at age 69, Fox, despite blindness, multiple sclerosis and lung cancer, continues to take photos on a daily basis thanks to her attendants, friends and sometimes total strangers.

Curbed has a new interview with her, which you can read here.

Do you find today's New York less photogenic than it was in the 70s and 80s?

No. It's always a place to be. I am a tourist every day in my own town. I don't miss the '70s and '80s, but the '50s and '60s. The doo wop. The rhythm and blues.

Meanwhile, check out her interview on Tom Snyder from 1980...



You can watch part 2 here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Watch this 10-minute documentary on the amazing street photographer Flo Fox

The photography of Flo Fox

Watch this 10-minute documentary on the amazing street photographer Flo Fox

A friend introduced us to the work of acclaimed photographer Flo Fox several years ago. Her life and work make for a remarkable story... and Brooklyn-based filmmaker Riley Hooper has captured Fox in a 10-minute short titled "Flo: Portrait of a Street Photographer."

Here's the film's description:

This 10-minute documentary explores the life and work of photographer Flo Fox, who, despite blindness, multiple sclerosis, and lung cancer, continues to shoot the streets of New York City. No longer able to hold a camera, she instructs her aides to take photos for her. She’s an incredible woman with a feisty spirit, sharp wit, and dirty sense of humor.

We asked Hooper a few questions about the project.

How did you first learn about Flo?

I met Flo in 2011 as she was preparing a solo photo show at Gallery 307 in New York City (now the Carter Burden Gallery), where my friend was working. The gallery represents artists over the age of 60. I was immediately drawn to her photography. Her witty captions especially grabbed my attention. I think she and I have a similar sense of humor

What are your thoughts about Flo after having the chance to spend so much time with her?

There's obviously a lot of wisdom and inspiration to be gleaned from this story. On a personal level, it's sobering to think that Flo bought her first camera when she was about the same age as I am — and that four years later she would be diagnosed with MS. Yet it's inspiring to see that her positive outlook and intense passion for her work has allowed her to persevere. It's a motivating reminder to never take anything for granted in my life, or make excuses in pursuing my filmmaking. Those are, of course, cliched maxims. Yet they're ones I now resonate with on a deeper level, and I have Flo to thank for that.

Do you think they'll be more to Flo's legacy than just her incredible body of work?

Oh, certainly! I hope that people remember Flo not only for her photography but also for her incredible drive and positivity. She's a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

Hooper recently released the film.

You may watch it right here.

The photography of Flo Fox

A friend recently introduced me to the work of acclaimed photographer Flo Fox... I asked her via Facebook if I could post a few of her photos from the 1970s and early 1980s in NYC... she agreed... and here's a sampling...








All this is even more remarkable given her background... Fox, who grew up in Woodside, Queens, was born blind in one eye.

Here's an excerpt on her from a profile in Alternative Photography:

According to her, she was an automatic photographer because she never needed to close an eye to take a picture. She lost the vision in her other eye in 1975 and was declared legally blind just at the time that she photographed herself nude for Playboy and Penthouse. It was at this time that one of Flo’s sisters was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Soon thereafter Flo began experiencing numbness in one of her hands and legs and had herself tested for MS. The results were positive. She has remained determined to not let this news change anything in her career as a fine arts photographer. This has not been easy with her direction in the medium which is predominately street imagery of people and places predominately set in New York City.

When asked how her disabilities have affected her work, Fox said that she started seeing interfering patterns in 1975 and soon thereafter could no longer focus on an image because of dead nerve endings. As her MS progressed, Flo’s muscle tone deteriorated and she went from using a cane to a motorized scooter.

Check out this interview on Tom Snyder...



You can watch part 2 here.

There are more photos on her website here. Or maybe you could friend her on Facebook.