Shell station at dusk--Alabama 1955

Robert Frank shot this gelatin silver print, "Shell station at dusk--Alabama," sometime in the mid-twentieth century. The greyscale palette invites us to consider the tonal relationships, like the way the soft grey horizon mirrors the blocky structures to the left. There's a gritty quality to this photo; the way the light is captured feels immediate, unrehearsed. Note the way the light reflects off of the road leading off into the distance. This road reminds me of all those long drives I’ve taken. The road can become meditative, and sometimes sinister. It reminds me a little bit of Ed Ruscha's gas station photos, but Frank's feels less sterile, more human. The picture plane is filled with the everyday: the road, cars, power lines and of course the shell station. It's a simple picture, yet it's so open to interpretation.