Woman with Shadow 1935

Here's a photograph by Nathan Lerner showing a woman partly obscured by shadows. I find myself imagining Lerner, camera in hand, patiently waiting for the right moment, the perfect alignment of light and shadow. The shadows cast by what looks like a fence or some kind of mesh create an intriguing pattern across the woman's face and body. These shadows become active participants in the image, abstracting and reshaping her features, almost like broad brushstrokes of ink or charcoal. The woman's smile, though partially veiled, hints at a sense of playfulness and collaboration with the artist, as though she understands and embraces the ephemeral dance of light and dark. It reminds me that as artists we are all just trying things out and improvising. This dance between control and chance, intention and accident, feels very familiar to my process as a painter and I suspect it was part of Lerner’s journey as a photographer.