NYC Photography Legend Flo Fox Gets Her Close-Up In ‘FLO’ Doc
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The lady behind the lens: Flo Fox/Facebook
Back in 1980, New York City photographer Flo Fox divulged on Tomorrow with Tom Snyder that taking photographs was the “…the only way to hold on to anything, through any type of memory, was photographs.”
She’s been doing it for nearly four decades. Her works capture real life in the Big Apple with plenty of edge, and sometimes a slight sense of humor. Or as she likes to refer to as an “ironic reality.” London, Paris, Madrid, and Tokyo, among other cities, have showcased her photographs, while some remain in the permanent collection at The Brooklyn Museum and The Smithsonian.
And fellow NYC-based filmmaker Riley Hooper celebrates the brilliance of this snapshot maven in her aptly titled film, FLO.
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Flo Fox spots her next photo/Photo courtesy of Riley Hooper
The 10-minute documentary has circulated around numerous festivals the last two years, picking up a few awards along the way, including the Best Documentary Short at the 2012 LES Film Festival, the Grand Jury Prize, Shorts Program at DOC NYC in 2012, and the Best Documentary Short at the Ashland Independent Film Festival in 2013.
A matter-of-fact kind of optimism overshadows Fox’s blindness, lung cancer and multiple sclerosis as she scours the NYC streets for the perfect shot from her electric wheelchair. She hasn’t been able to hold a camera for a while now, but her aides are fine to oblige. Fox is sharp, funny, and sweet, and she will win you over in an instant.
Hooper recently discussed with Bowery Boogie what it is about Flo that made her want to do this project. “When I first heard about Flo, I was, for good reason, taken by her story,” she said. “It obviously takes a certain type of person to overcome such adversity in life, and I was curious to learn what it was about Flo that allowed her to keep pursuing photography despite the most debilitating obstacles imaginable.”
Hooper added: “I was also intrigued by the questions her photography process poses about art, given that she is no longer the one operating the camera. It was a joy to explore these questions and more in making this film.”
Get a glimpse of FLO below:
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