William Swanson, matroos, Newport, R.I., 1944 1944

This photograph of William Swanson, a sailor, was taken in Newport, Rhode Island in 1944 by an unknown photographer. The sepia tones feel a bit like memory itself, don’t they? Faded, warm, maybe slightly out of focus... Look at the sailor’s smile, it’s so genuine and open. The photographer has captured this really lovely, fleeting moment, one that almost feels like you know him. The surface of the photograph has aged, its edges are softened by time. And the metal frame, a bit tarnished now, adds a layer of protection, like a treasured keepsake. The overall effect is intimate. Thinking about the photographer, you know, they’re kind of like a modern-day Vermeer, quietly observing life and sharing that with us. Except with a camera, not a brush. They both capture a moment, a mood, a certain quality of light and feeling. It’s all there in the photograph.