Untitled 1992

This is an undated black and white photograph by Thomas Roma. It captures figures seated in a church, each lost in their own thoughts. The grayscale palette is a study in contrasts, a dance between light and shadow, allowing the forms to emerge with a quiet intensity. Look at the way the light catches the woman’s jewelry, her shiny earrings that seem to punctuate the solemn mood with a glimmer of hope. The photograph has a grainy texture, a tactile quality that invites touch, but the figures are untouchable, framed behind the wooden cross. I like how Roma's work resonates with that of Roy DeCarava, in his intimate observations of everyday life. Like DeCarava, Roma finds poetry in the ordinary. This photograph is less about capturing a specific moment and more about evoking a mood. It is a delicate balance between realism and emotion. The ambiguity makes it so compelling.