Artallic D. Wil'ey, St. Gabriel, Louisiana 25 - 1999

Deborah Luster made this tintype photograph, Artallic D. Wil'ey, St. Gabriel, Louisiana, by using a process that feels like it's from another era. The tones are like old gold and dark chocolate, which is what happens when you play with chemistry and light, right? There's something so raw and beautiful about it. It’s like she’s painting with light, not just snapping a picture. Look at the way the light catches the woman’s face and the soft toy she’s holding. The surface has imperfections that create this ghostly effect, it’s tactile and real. The whole thing has this haunting quality, like a memory half-forgotten. I'm reminded of Sally Mann who also uses photography to tap into something deeply human. The image becomes a conversation, a back-and-forth between what we see and what we feel.