Reconnaissance Flight over Front Line Near Épinal, France  1944

This is a photograph by Constance Stuart Larrabee, and it captures a reconnaissance flight over the front line near Épinal, France. The image flickers between light and shadow, capturing the face of a man in flight. I imagine the artist leaning in, trying to catch a glimpse of something that is hard to get, something elusive. What I notice is that half of the man’s face is submerged in deep shadow – it's as if the artist is saying you only get to see half the story, half the feeling, half the experience. The other half remains a mystery. I think of other photographers like Lee Miller, who also worked during the war and tried to make sense of what they witnessed. There’s a dialogue between artists that spans across time. Each person’s contribution helps us to see and feel a little more, even when so much remains in the shadows.