Larry Clark is best known for his gritty, handheld film photography, and the gear he favored reflects that intimate, documentary style.
Film Cameras
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Rolleiflex TLR: He frequently carried a twin-lens Rolleiflex, often with a strobe in his car—his go‑to in street environments.
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Rolleiflex TLR |
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Leica (likely M4): Known to have used a Leica M4 paired with a 35mm lens for projects like Tulsa and Teenage Lust—combining portrait-like composition with decisive framing.
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Leica M4 |
Clark’s early work (1960s–70s) was shot on 35 mm black-and-white film, possibly Kodak Tri‑X or Plus‑X, underexposing highlights to preserve shadows and achieve his signature high-contrast aesthetic.
Analog, Always on Hand
He was notorious for "always having a camera": the Rolleiflex and flash were permanent fixtures in his car—his friends expected him to document whatever unfolded.
Cinematic Shift
By the '90s, Clark evolved into filmmaking. On movies such as Kids, Wassup Rockers, and others, he worked with video and 35 mm film—using gear like the Canon XL2, Moviecam SuperAmerica, and collaborating with DPs like Steve Gainer and Eric Alan Edwards