Untitled (two girls in matching dresses and brown ringlets seated together and leaning on table in front of them) after 1940

Paul Gittings made this photograph of two girls in matching dresses, with what looks like a large format camera. The image is soft, like memory itself. I'm really drawn to the way the light falls, sort of enveloping the figures in this hazy glow, almost like a dream. The texture is smooth, with a depth that only black and white film can achieve. In the out-of-focus areas, you can see an almost painterly effect, particularly where the light reflects off the table. It’s interesting how Gittings has positioned the girls, one smiling confidently, the other with a more reserved expression. There is a real intimacy in the composition, a sense of closeness and shared experience. I think of Diane Arbus when I look at this, a similar interest in capturing the subtleties of human expression and the stories that faces can tell. Ultimately, it's a reminder that art is about asking questions, not providing answers, and embracing the richness of ambiguity.