Walker Evans’ Subway Portraits were captured between 1938 and 1941 in the New York City subway system, documenting candid moments of passengers in transit. The project was undertaken after Evans’ work with the Farm Security Administration (FSA), marking a shift in his focus from rural poverty to urban anonymity. Evans sought to capture people in their most natural states, describing this as “the mask off,” when they were unaware of the camera’s presence.
Evans concealed a 35mm Contax camera under his coat, allowing the lens to peek out between two buttons. To reduce its visibility, he painted the shiny chrome parts black and discreetly controlled the shutter with a cable release hidden in his sleeve. This setup enabled him to photograph unsuspecting commuters in an unposed state, capturing what he considered the essence of portraiture—anonymous, documentary, and unembellished. His method ensured that the images were not only candid but also reflected the psychological realities of the subway as a unique public space. The subway, a microcosm of New York’s diverse population, became a stage where people from all walks of life coexisted briefly. The subjects, lost in silence, engaged in brief interactions, or simply lost in contemplation, formed an intimate visual study of everyday city life.
Evans’ approach was a departure from traditional portraiture, foregoing posed compositions in favor of fleeting, spontaneous expressions. This method influenced later photographers such as Robert Frank and Garry Winogrand, shaping the evolution of street photography by emphasizing the authenticity of unguarded moments. His use of available subway lighting created a subdued, shadowed effect that heightened the realism of the series.
Originally planned for publication in the 1940s, the book remained unpublished for decades before finally being released in 1966 under the title Many Are Called, accompanied by an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Later presentations at institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Getty, and the Centre Pompidou have highlighted its relevance to debates on candid ethics and urban portraiture.
