Two boys--Children 1941 - 1945

Robert Frank made this small photograph, "Two boys--Children," using black and white film. The greyscale gives it a timeless feel. It's a process of capturing light and shadow, a dance between what's there and what the camera sees. Look at the way the light catches the wet pavement, how it almost glows compared to the dark coats of the boys. The boy on the left, head bowed, seems lost in thought. The other one looks right at us, with this kind of sadness. There's a rawness to it, like Frank just grabbed a moment as it was happening. It reminds me a little of Helen Levitt’s street photography, that same knack for finding poetry in the everyday. Except Frank's got this edge, a bit of darkness. It's not about perfect composition. It’s about feeling, about the world being complicated. This piece welcomes uncertainty, multiple feelings and interpretations.