Kerstin and Mrs. Leslie Ross, on the Ross wheat farm, near Peetz, Colorado Possibly 1973 - 1988

This photograph, Kerstin and Mrs. Leslie Ross, on the Ross wheat farm, near Peetz, Colorado, was made by Robert Adams. It's not about high drama; it's about seeing what's there, in the plainest light. Adams uses a black and white palette that feels like a way of stripping things down to their essence. It's like he's saying, "Look, this is what it is." The texture of the print, the way the light catches on the surfaces, is all part of the story. And let's talk about that wallpaper, right? That small floral wallpaper is fighting for space in a world of right angles and utility, it almost feels defiant. It's a small, quiet rebellion. Adams reminds me a bit of Walker Evans, in that he's trying to capture something real about American life, without the sugar coating. It's like he's saying, "This is us, this is where we are."