Untitled (mother standing in yard with two boys and little girl, children dressed in white) after 1940

This silver gelatin print of a mother and her children was made by Paul Gittings. What strikes me about it is the way the light filters through the trees, creating these high contrast moments. I can imagine Gittings behind the camera, shifting and adjusting, trying to find that perfect balance between light and shadow. The mother stands tall and regal, but there's a softness in her eyes as she looks towards her children. The children, all dressed in white, are frozen in time. Photography, like painting, is about capturing a moment, a feeling, an essence. It's about the artist's hand, eye, and heart working together to create something meaningful. It is clear that artists are constantly building on each other's work, borrowing ideas, and pushing boundaries. This photograph makes me think about what it means to be an artist, to be a mother, and to be human.