Bombay, 2004, at the Gateway of India Possibly 2004 - 2014

This photograph, taken by Leo Rubinfien in 2004 at the Gateway of India in Bombay, captures a moment with such directness, it almost feels like a painting. I imagine Rubinfien, the artist, finding himself drawn to this young girl, her gaze so intense and unwavering. You see her between two women, and in the background, there's water with boats. I wonder what thoughts might have run through Rubinfien’s mind as he framed this shot. Was he thinking about Walker Evans, or Diane Arbus, those other great photographers of people? Photography, like painting, it’s about seeing, and choosing what to include and what to leave out. The contrasts in the image—the soft light on the water versus the sharpness of the girl’s features—it all contributes to the feeling of being there, present in that moment. Artists are always having conversations with one another, even across time.