Paris 1953

Todd Webb made this photograph, Paris, with gelatin silver. The image is a study in gray. Look how Webb layers the tones to create depth. It is like the image is built from a collection of different planes, and this gives it a sculptural feel. I'm really drawn to the texture of the wall, its rough, almost crumbling surface. Then there is that bit of old lettering barely visible, like a ghost of advertisements past. The way the light catches on the door is incredible, each panel casting a subtle shadow that gives it a real sense of weight. I wonder what secrets lie behind it? Webb's approach reminds me a little of Walker Evans, especially his fascination with vernacular architecture and the poetry he found in everyday scenes. Like Evans, Webb shows us the beauty in the mundane, transforming the ordinary into something extraordinary through his singular vision.