Nan Goldin (b. 1953) is an American photographer whose raw, diaristic imagery in The Ballad of Sexual Dependency became a benchmark of confessional street photography. Her visual diary chronicles love, gender, addiction, grief, and intimacy within the underground scenes of 1970s–80s Boston and New York. Aesthetic Ethos & Emotional Vision Photography became Goldin’s voice after her teenage years, marked by family tragedy and immersion in Boston’s drag and LGBT communities. Her lens reflects empathy over voyeurism—always capturing subjects she shared life with. Her breakthrough work, The Ballad , premiered as a slideshow of nearly 700 images paired with music—an immersive, cinematic storytelling medium. Gear Journey: Modest Tools, Monumental Impact Instant Film Beginnings Goldin received a Polaroid camera in high school , which she credits with giving her the confidence to engage people and document her inner circle. Shooting Polaroid forced immediacy and direct connectio...
"The camera is an instrument that teaches people to see without a camera" - Dorothea Lange