American photographer Russell Lee, born July 21, 1903, produced more images for the Farm Security Administration than any other FSA photographer. Here, Lee (second from right) reviews photos with his colleagues.
Lee’s empathetic eye and pioneering use of flashbulbs allowed him to illuminate the cramped interiors of migrant shacks and mining cabins.
His work captured dignity amid hardship, creating a definitive visual archive of the Great Depression and providing the federal government with powerful imagery to support New Deal programs.
