Lee Rice 1975

This photograph, Lee Rice, was shot by Mike Mandel sometime in the 20th century. It is a small black and white print of a man in a baseball cap and sunglasses. I imagine Mandel, maybe at a ball game or on the street, he sees this guy with his chin up, lost in thought or looking at the sun. He raises his camera and takes a shot. I wonder if Lee Rice knew his picture was being taken? The photograph is unassuming and almost feels like a snapshot, yet it’s loaded with intention. There is an interesting juxtaposition between the everyday and the formal aspects of portraiture here. The composition is simple but carefully considered, focusing on the man's face and the way the light catches the lenses of his sunglasses. It reminds me of the work of other photographers who blur the lines between documentary and fine art. Artists are always finding inspiration in the world around them, riffing off each other's ideas and approaches across time. Mandel captured a moment, and in so doing, he invites us to consider how we see and represent one another.