Walter Rosenblum, Paul Strand, 1973
Paul Strand had been born in New York City of Bohemian Czech parents but spent the end of his days living in France, where for the first time in his life he had a permanent darkroom in his own home.
Strand was greatly influenced by Alfred Stieglitz (see also Categories) and had studied with Lewis Hine at The Ethical Culture Fieldston School, who was influenced by the Danish-American reformer and photographer Jacob Riis.
Paul Strand, From the El, 1915. Platinum print
Paul Strand, Blind, 1916. Platinum print
Paul Strand, Abstraction, Twin Lakes, Connecticut, 1916. Silver platinum print
Strand later traveled all over the world, taking still photographs and making motion picture films. Manhatta was one of his most famous was a collaboration with painter Charles Sheeler that can be found at this link.
One of my favorite books is Un Paese, for which Strand supplied the photos and Italian screenwriter Cesare Zavattini documented what life was like in 1952 just after World War II in his home town of Luzzara in the Po Valley of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy. Copies of the book can still be found at links such as ABE books.
I recently discovered a fascinating documentary film about Strand from Netflix: Under the Dark Cloth. It can also be found on YouTube.
Other recommended reference material abounds, including the following:
http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artMakerDetails?maker=1899
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/pstd/hd_pstd.htm
http://knordnes.wordpress.com/2010/10/21/paul-strand-research/