Eugene Atget and Zoe Strauss

Eugene Atget (1857-1927) was a French photographer working in Paris from the 1880s. He often photographed statues, alleyways, streets scenes, and store windows. He is a documentary photographer, and often uses a direct approach to shooting.

Many of Atget's subjects are similar to Zoe's - stores, cityscapes, and people on the street. His photo "Sideshow Attraction" is very similar to Zoe's "Spelling Achievement Award" because both are still lives, contain photographs, and describe a real event or situation; however, Atget's photo seems more like amuseum display, but Zoe's is located in a home.

In general, Atget's outdoor scenes seem much more quiet and less active than Zoe's. For example, Atget's "L'Hotel Scipion Sardini" is set on an empty street, while Zoe's "Food Market" photos contain many different people.