Bill Wood's Business

Bill Wood's business was photography—and he produced tens of thousands of images over the course of his career. From 1937 (the tail end of the Great Depression) through the boom years that followed World War II and until his death in 1973, the Bill Wood Photo Company supplied local snap shooters and amateur photographers with cameras, flash bulbs, accessories, and quality photo finishing. In addition, the business provided commercial photographic services: using large format cameras, and shooting mostly black-and-white film, Wood offered studio portraits and professional photographs, taken on location. The variety of subjects and situations he captured provide an in-depth photographic record of life in Fort Worth, Texas, a post-World War II American city just hitting its stride. From May 16 through September 7, 2008, the International Center of Photography will present Bill Wood's Business, a document of the encyclopedic range of his work. The exhibition is organized by Diane Keaton and Marvin Heiferman.

Past Tour Venue

Fort Worth Museum of Science and History | Fort Worth, Texas
November 23, 2009–February 14, 2010

Image
Two man holding a painting.
Bill Wood, Ace Reid, Cartoonist, 1963 © Billye Cooper and Connie Bruner
International Center of Photography
Image
A picture of a basketball team.
Bill Wood, [Five men in basketball shorts], 1960s © Billye Cooper and Connie Bruner
International Center of Photography
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A lady getting arrested.
Bill Wood, [Chest X-ray demonstration], 1955 © Billye Cooper and Connie Bruner
International Center of Photography
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A picture of a store with the words open.
Bill Wood, [Man in front of his store], 1959 © Billye Cooper and Connie Bruner
International Center of Photography
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Two men next to a ‘guess the weight’ contest.
Bill Wood, [Supermarket promotional contest], 1960s © Billye Cooper and Connie Bruner
International Center of Photography
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A picture of a car with free advertising.
Bill Wood, [Promotion at Bill McDavid Pontiac Co.], 1959 © Billye Cooper and Connie Bruner
International Center of Photography
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The inside of a museum.

Museum

1133 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY
May 16, 2008 - Sep 07, 2008

Special Thanks

This exhibition is supported by grants from The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for the Arts and The Dorothea L. Leonhardt Foundation, and with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.