Coffee shop, Ventura Boulevard--Los Angeles 1956

This black and white photograph, "Coffee shop, Ventura Boulevard--Los Angeles," was shot by Robert Frank. The image seems to be saying, hey, look at this counter. It's a slice of life, but drained of its vibrant colors, leaving us with the stark reality of shapes and forms. The textures are calling out: the cool, smooth surface of the counter against the bulky, metallic gleam of the coffee machine, and the ephemeral sugar bowl. It’s all about the play of light and shadow, turning everyday objects into something almost monumental. My eye keeps getting drawn to that fortune teller machine, promising answers for a penny. It reminds me of the surrealists, finding poetry in the mundane. Frank is a bit like them, seeing the world not just as it is, but as it feels, a bit off-kilter, a bit lonely. I'm thinking of Eugène Atget, both so good at capturing the quiet beauty of a lost world. It’s about seeing the world anew, finding the extraordinary in the ordinary.