Russian Ball, New York City 1977

Larry Fink captured this image, "Russian Ball, New York City," sometime in the last few decades. It’s a black and white photograph, seemingly snatched from a moment, an unposed scene of high society. I imagine Fink, moving through the crowd, his senses heightened, searching for the perfect shot. The women, caught in the flash, frozen in time. Look at the woman in the polka dot dress, clapping. There is a look of ennui in her eyes, maybe boredom. She seems trapped in amber, forever clapping at this ball. Fink’s work often explores themes of social class and the human condition. The way he frames this shot, there is a sense of intimacy and voyeurism all at once. Painters like Degas, with his depictions of ballet dancers, come to mind – glimpses into a world we might not otherwise see. Like painters, photographers make use of light, shadow, and composition, inviting us to contemplate the scene, to feel the atmosphere, to wonder about the stories of the people within it.