Frances Pellegrini had a successful commercial career in New York from the late 1940s through the 1980s. Having worked at Harpers' Bazaar for over 10 years with legendary Art Director Alexei Brodovitch, Frances pioneered her roles as a photographer and an independent business woman.
Before starting her commercial career Frances joined the historic Photo League and worked with photographers Dan Weiner and Sid Grossman. Their use of photography as a tool for social change and personal expression influenced Frances' approach to photography in her early and later works.
Frances' street works are intuitive, loosely handled and depict an intimacy with the city. Her images reflect an elegantly understated style and modern sensibility. "I don't crop my images or manipulate them very much, nothing more extensive than toning down a white dress that was getting too much light. I have never consciously composed a photograph. I never thought of my photography as art. Certain things were simple. I just wanted to take a good picture."
