Deborah Carter, St. Gabriel, Louisiana 25 - 1999

Deborah Carter, St. Gabriel, Louisiana, is a photograph on a metal plate, or tintype, by Deborah Luster. The sepia tones give it a kind of dreamy antiquity. When I look at this portrait, I immediately notice the way the light seems to caress Deborah Carter’s face. It's soft and diffused, creating these gentle gradients across her skin. And, the way the light catches the bird she's holding, it’s almost like the bird is glowing with some kind of inner light. I am really drawn to the way Luster is playing with contrasts here. There's a beautiful juxtaposition between the sharp focus on the subject and the darker background, which has these softer, almost smoky edges. The contrast really makes Deborah pop out, drawing you in to her gaze. It is reminiscent of work by Daguerre, but Luster brings a 21st century sensibility to this historical process.