Berenice Abbott was born in Springfield, Ohio on July 17, 1898. At first, she dreamed to be a journalist but afterwards, her dream changed. Instead, she became interested in theater and sculpture. Abbott studied sculpture in Paris and Berlin in 1921 and she adopted the French spelling of her first name Berenice.
Abbot was first involved in the photography in 1923, when Man Ray was looking for someone who doesn't have any knowledge in photography. She worked for Man Ray for two years and then she opened her own studio in Paris. Man Ray introduced her to Eugène Atget's photographs and Eugene's photography became her inspiration.
In the early 1929, Abbot went to New York City. She saw NYC had great photographic potential and decided to close her studio in Paris and lived in NYC. She worked for New York Project independently for six years until she was hired by the Federal Art Project. All the sample of the images shown below were taken in New York; very vivid images of New York in the 1930's. Her main objects were: the diversity and the activities of the people; and places where people work, life and play.
Berenice Abbott pictures transferred me to the past of New York. There are still great pictures of her, you can take a look at this website. Her pictures are simply outstanding.
Images courtesy: www.commercegraphics.com/ba_gallery.html