Hebron, 2008, outside the Souk Possibly 2008 - 2014

Leo Rubinfien took this photograph, outside the Souk in Hebron, in 2008. It's a study in black and white, where the world is composed of shades and tones, but what really draws me in is that direct gaze. The man’s eyes seem to know something, they are kind of challenging. It’s like he’s saying, "Yeah, I see you seeing me." The texture in the image is fantastic, especially the way Rubinfien captures the wrinkles and lines on his face, each one a tiny map of a life lived. And the way the light catches the fabric of his suit? You can almost feel the weave. That one bright highlight on his cheekbone – it brings him to life. It makes me think of other photographers, like August Sander, who also captured these faces with such raw honesty. It’s like they’re holding up a mirror to humanity, showing us the beauty and the grit, all at once.