Many Are Called

Walker Evans captured thousands of portraits on the New York City subway system between 1938-1941 using a hidden camera. These photographs, published in Many Are Called, show passengers in unguarded moments as they ride the trains. The book presents 89 black and white photographs selected from Evans' subway series, accompanied by an introduction by James Agee and an afterword by Luc Sante. Evans photographed his subjects straight-on from a seated position, documenting the faces and expressions of New Yorkers from all walks of life. The subway portraits stand as a cross-section of urban society during a pivotal period in New York City's history. The photographs avoid staged poses or artificial lighting, instead recording authentic moments in public space. The collection raises questions about privacy, observation, and the relationship between photographer and subject in public spaces. Through these covert portraits, Evans documented both individual identity and collective experience in the modern city.

Reviewers value Evans' candid portraits of 1930s New York subway riders, noting how the hidden camera captured unguarded expressions and natural poses. Several readers highlight the historical documentation aspect, with specific comments about clothing styles, advertisements, and social dynamics of the era. Readers appreciated: - Raw authenticity of expressions and body language - Quality of black and white photos despite technical limitations - Glimpse into daily life across social classes Common criticisms: - Repetitive nature of similar-looking shots - Limited context provided for individual photos - Print quality in some editions Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (89 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (22 reviews) One reader noted: "The photos reveal more about the subjects than they likely intended to show." Another criticized: "After 20-30 photos, you've seen the pattern and nothing new emerges." Most recommend viewing the original exhibition prints at museums over the book reproductions for better detail and tonal range.

Subway by Bruce Davidson A photo collection documenting New York City subway riders from 1980-1985 captures the same candid humanity and social observation present in Evans' work.

East 100th Street by Bruce Davidson The photographs of residents in a single East Harlem block continue Evans' tradition of documenting Americans with dignity and unvarnished truth.

The Americans by Robert Frank This collection of photographs taken across the United States in the 1950s reveals the same critical eye for American society that Evans pioneered.

People of the Twentieth Century by August Sander These systematic portraits of German citizens from all social classes mirror Evans' methodical documentation of subway passengers.

Humans of New York by Brandon Stanton The street portraits and personal stories of New York City residents follow Evans' path of revealing the extraordinary in ordinary people through direct, straightforward photography.

📸 Walker Evans secretly photographed New York City subway riders between 1938-1941 using a hidden camera in his coat, creating candid portraits that would later fill this powerful book. 🎭 The photographs capture a remarkable cross-section of society during the Great Depression and World War II era, with subjects completely unaware they were being photographed. 📖 Though the photos were taken in the late 1930s and early 1940s, "Many Are Called" wasn't published until 1966, nearly 25 years after the project was completed. 🔍 Evans used a 35mm Contax camera concealed beneath his coat, with only the lens peeking through a buttonhole, and the shutter release running down his sleeve. 🎨 The book's title comes from the Biblical phrase "Many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14), reflecting Evans' selective process of choosing just 89 portraits from the hundreds he photographed.