London 1952

Robert Frank's photograph, London, is a masterclass in using shades of gray to evoke mood. It’s like he's painting with light, isn’t it? The way Frank handles the tones, moving from the almost-black car body in the foreground to the muted buildings behind, that's what really grabs me. There's a real physicality to the image, like you could reach out and touch the slick surface of the cars, or feel the dampness in the air. My eye keeps returning to the driver. He is framed by the open car door. There is a moment of ambiguity as you wonder whether he is getting in, or getting out. This feels similar to work by Helen Levitt, who was also exploring a very human side of street photography around the same time, and the way the image is composed feels like it is in conversation with her work. It's all about a dialogue, a continual back-and-forth between artists across time. Nothing is ever truly finished or resolved.