Joseph, 10, and Rosy, 8, Newsies, Newark, New Jersey, 1909 1909

In 1909, Lewis Hine made this photograph, Joseph, 10, and Rosy, 8, Newsies, in Newark, New Jersey. It's a muted sepia shot, full of greys and browns that seem to come from another century. I can only imagine what it must have been like to have been Hine, looking through the lens at these two kids. What do you say? How do you get them to pose? Are they scared? Do they even understand what's happening? The kid on the right has a bit of a smirk, like he knows something we don't. His dark eyes are fixed, maybe sizing us up, too. The one on the left looks softer, lost in their own thoughts, maybe worrying about whether they'll make enough money today. The softness of the light reminds me of artists like Käthe Kollwitz, who also worked to capture the pain and hardship of everyday life. Hine wasn't just taking pictures; he was trying to change the world. And that seriousness, that deep empathy, comes through. It's like he's saying, "Look at these kids. Really look at them. They deserve better."