Andrea Feldman (Long Straight Dark Blonde Hair) 1981

This photograph of Andrea Feldman with long straight dark blonde hair was taken by Andy Warhol, but the date is unknown. I always wonder what it felt like for Andy to take these polaroids of people! I imagine him quietly circling his subject, a gentle dance, trying to find the right angle, just so. There's a vulnerability in Andrea’s glance over her shoulder. You can almost feel her self-consciousness, but also maybe a hint of defiance, a little flicker in her eye. Warhol takes such a direct, close-up shot here. You can feel the intimacy of the moment – the soft focus and the slight imperfections of the Polaroid, which make the picture all the more human. He was always looking for the beauty in everyday people and things and presenting it back to us, like a mirror reflecting all of the oddities and peculiarities that make us who we are.