Pioneer with Gun c. 1930s

Mikhail Grachev made this photograph, Pioneer with Gun, sometime between 1910 and 1950. It's sepia-toned, a kind of warm monochrome, like an old memory. I'm interested in how it’s more than just a record; it’s like Grachev is painting with light. Look at the grain of the photograph – the way the light catches on the boy's helmet. The smoothness in contrast with the sharpness of the rifle. It’s all about texture, isn’t it? And the soft focus in the background gives the photograph such a feeling of depth. What really gets me is the boy’s gaze. He is looking out, a mixture of innocence and determination in his expression. It reminds me of the work of Aleksandr Rodchenko, another photographer who captured the spirit and optimism of early Soviet Russia. It makes you wonder what he’s looking at, what he’s aiming for. It's an image that speaks volumes, but says nothing.