One of the many things I like about museums is that I learn stuff that I didn’t know before. I mean I learn things that I had no clue about. A recent trip to Tulsa’s Philbrook Museum taught me something. It was about a photographer named Gordon Parks. I had never heard of him before, but it turns out he was a major talent. You can read more about the exhibition here.

He was born in Fort Scott, Kansas in 1912 and had a rough life. (Check out his Wikipedia page.) He bought his first camera when he was 28 years old and taught himself how to take photographs. He went to work as a fashion photographer at a woman’s clothing store. He eventually opened his own portrait studio

He specialized in portraits of society women. He also photographed the life of African Americans in Chicago. He eventually worked for the government in various capacities. After World War II, he became a freelance fashion photographer for Vogue Magazine. Then later for Life Magazine.

Parks also directed films. He wrote and directed Shaft, a detective film and several others. He had a very productive life and died in 2006.

The thing about photographers is that they have that “eye” for things. They can take great photos regardless of the equipment they are using. I used to work with a woman who had that eye. She would win the company’s photography awards using just her phone for a camera.

That eye is everything. The exhibition at Philbrook lasts until early June.