He was an influential documentary photographer. He was best known for his groundbreaking book, "The Americans," a collection of black and white photographs from his cross-country road trips in the mid-1950s. He traveled more than 10,000 miles and took more than 27,000 pictures, from which he chose 83 for "The Americans." It was criticized by many for not reflecting an attractive Hollywood/Madison Avenue-style image of the US.
