Young Man, Troupers' Hall, Hollywood 1969

Anthony Friedkin made this photograph, *Young Man, Troupers' Hall, Hollywood*, sometime in the 20th century. It's a black and white photograph and it's got a whole mood going on, somewhere between vulnerability and swagger. I wonder what it was like for Friedkin, setting up the shot, seeing the light catch on the young man's ring. I imagine Friedkin, seeing something of himself in the young man's pose. The contrast is striking: the dark jacket against the pale wall, the soft focus on his face versus the sharp details of his clothes. The way he leans, a gesture of nonchalance but also, maybe, a need for support? That hand against the wall, not quite a fist, not quite open. It reminds me how a single gesture can hold so many feelings, so many stories.