Vietnam 1958

Dorothea Lange captured this photograph titled, *Vietnam*, using black and white film. Lange, known for her empathetic images of dispossessed people during the Great Depression, confronts us with a perspective from the margins. What we see here are feet on the earth, anchoring us to the ground. The weathered skin and visible veins speak of labor, age, and a life lived close to the land. A woven basket, a kind of cage, hangs nearby containing an animal. Is it a pet, or a source of food? By focusing on these details, Lange asks us to consider the everyday realities of life during wartime. "Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still," she once said. This image indeed freezes a moment, inviting reflection on the human and animal cost of conflict. It is a poignant reminder of the personal stories often overshadowed by the broader narratives of war.