Untitled (photograph of young boy with dog seated on ledge in garden) c. 1940

This small photograph of a boy with a dog, taken by Paul Gittings, captures a quiet moment in a garden. What strikes me is how photography, like painting, is about seeing and making, it's all about process. The image is like a memory, faded and soft, but full of texture. The boy's striped shirt, the rough stone of the ledge, even the dog's fur – each element is rendered with subtle detail. Notice the way the light filters through the trees, creating a kind of halo around the figures. This isn't just a snapshot; it's a carefully constructed scene, an arrangement of shapes and tones that evokes a particular feeling. I am drawn to the blurry background. It brings into focus this boy and his dog, alone together, like they are the only two in the world. This work reminds me a little of the portraits by Alice Neel; both artists have a way of capturing something essential about their subjects, a sense of vulnerability and humanity. Art is like a conversation across time, echoing and responding to different voices.