"Charlie and rooster crowing" c. 1930s

This photograph, "Charlie and rooster crowing," was made anonymously and immortalizes a fleeting moment. The tones move from a deep, inky black to a gentle, faded grey. This range reminds us of the unpredictable nature of photography and life itself. The image captures a man, Charlie, nonchalantly holding a rooster on his outstretched arm. The rooster, with its chest puffed out, seems to be mid-crow, almost like a feathered statue. And what’s really cool is the way the light catches the rooster's feathers, creating a beautiful contrast against the man's simple attire. You can almost feel the slight tension in the air, the quiet hum of the farm. This image reminds me of work by artists like Mike Brodie, who embraced the imperfections of photography to tell raw, unpolished stories. "Charlie and rooster crowing" is a testament to the beauty of the unplanned, and how a simple scene can be so captivating.