Farm Security Administration camp for migrant agricultural workers at Shafter, California 1938

Here’s a photo of a Farm Security Administration camp for migrant agricultural workers at Shafter, California, shot by Dorothea Lange. You know, when I look at this photograph, I can almost feel the sun beating down. Can you imagine being Lange, hoisting that camera, trying to capture this scene with all its layers of human experience? Look at the way the tents and makeshift homes stretch out, row after row, and beyond that the ordered crops in the distance: a stark contrast between the transient lives of the workers and the agricultural landscape they serve. I wonder what Lange felt, framing this shot. Was she thinking about Walker Evans, or was she more interested in the social impact of her photos? This image isn't just a document; it's a testament to human resilience and a stark commentary on inequality. Lange and her contemporaries were really onto something—using the camera as a tool for empathy and social change.