Untitled 1993

This untitled photograph was made by Thomas Roma sometime after 1950. It's a black and white image and the tones are quite even across the whole picture plane, giving it a sense of calm. Look at the way Roma uses light to create a soft focus. There's a beautiful, almost velvety texture, particularly in the skin tones of the people in the foreground. You can almost feel the gentle pressure of the hand on the woman's forehead. It reminds me of a painting in the way the light is distributed evenly across the scene. It isn't harsh or dramatic, but subtle and all-encompassing. This photograph really resonates with the work of Dawoud Bey, who similarly captures intimate portraits within Black communities. Like Bey, Roma isn't trying to make grand statements; rather, he’s interested in these quieter moments of connection and the poetry of everyday life.