Atlantic City 1966

Ray K. Metzker made this gelatin silver print, Atlantic City. It’s like a puzzle, made of light and dark, a real high contrast situation. I’m immediately drawn to the way Metzker plays with light here. The bright, vertical dashes create a sense of depth, almost like we're looking through a screen or a rain of light. Then there's the figure, almost swallowed by the shadows, but for the few stripes of light that illuminate their dress. It's a masterclass in black and white photography. You have to think about the darkroom work that has gone into this, the dodging and burning, the layering of tones. There’s a real conversation between light and shadow, a push and pull that keeps your eye moving. It’s a simple image, but it’s so effective. You might think of Minor White, another photographer who explored the abstract qualities of light, but Metzker brings a certain edginess, a starkness that's all his own. It reminds me that art is really about seeing.