Oakland (Kneeing elephant) 1976

Bill Dane made this gelatin silver print called 'Oakland (Kneeing elephant)' sometime during his career. Just imagine the moment Dane captured with his camera; the chance to capture the unexpected! I'm drawn to the elephant, kneeling on the hard asphalt. I imagine the feel of its wrinkled skin, the surprising softness beneath its rough exterior. And then, the children, drawn to this gentle giant, reaching out with innocent curiosity. It's all very immediate; you can feel the rough grain of the pavement, smell the animal, hear the chatter of the crowd. Dane's known for capturing the everyday, but framing it in a way that makes you stop and think. It reminds me a bit of Garry Winogrand's street photography, that ability to find the extraordinary in the ordinary. There's a kind of awkward beauty here. Photography, like painting, can be about capturing a moment, but also about finding the unexpected connections that make life so interesting.