dorothea lange was born in hoboken, new jersey in 1895. she studied photography at columbia university and worked in new york until the end of the first world war when she began to travel, photographing native americans. she believed that with her camera she could “teach people to see without a camera.”
lange took what are likely her most widely known photographs during the great depression at which time she documented the abject poverty and hardships associated with the massive social upheaval of that time. it was during this time that she took her most famous photograph, “migrant mother, nipoma, california, 1936.”
"young migratory mother, originally from texas. on the day before the photograph was made she and her husband traveled 35 miles each way to pick peas. they worked 5 hours each and together earned $2.25. they have two young children . . . live in auto camp." by dorothea lange, edison, kern county california, april 11, 1940
"between weedpatch and lamont, kern county, california. children living in camp". by dorothea lange, april 20, 1940 
the stories behind the great photographs are often as compelling as the photographs themselves and if you read this, you will see that this is no exception.
“migrant mother” is one of a series of six images taken at the same time. more of dorothea’s migrant worker images can be seen here. more of dorothea’s images complete with her original captions and notes can be viewed here.
a comprehensive selection of photographs from the depression can be viewed here.
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