The Way It Looked 1987

Sally Mann's 1987 black and white photograph, "The Way It Looked," depicts a young child submerged in water. The blurred image, which is created through a combination of movement and the camera's lens, leaves the subject's features obscured and creates a ghostly atmosphere. This work is part of Mann's larger "Immediate Family" series, which explores themes of childhood, innocence, and mortality through intimate portraits of her own children. This piece exemplifies Mann's signature style of using evocative imagery and blurred focus to create a sense of mystery and vulnerability.