Untitled (girl in dress seated on piano bench with elbow on piano keys) after 1940

This silver gelatin print shows a girl seated on a piano bench with her elbow on the piano keys. Gittings' choice of black and white emphasizes form and texture in the composition. The girl, positioned slightly off-center, becomes a focal point. Her light dress sharply contrasts with the dark piano and the shadows behind her, creating a stark visual hierarchy. The folds and layers of her dress introduce a complex play of light and shadow, adding depth and a tactile dimension to the image. Gittings uses the interplay of light and dark to articulate the subject's presence, drawing attention to her gaze and posture. This treatment transcends mere representation. It reflects a fascination with the materiality of photography itself and its capacity to construct reality through careful arrangement and manipulation of light, shadow, and form. The composition not only captures a moment but also invites us to contemplate the constructed nature of photographic representation, where every element is deliberately chosen to shape our perception.