Cruise and Jersey Lu, Hollywood 1989

Jim Goldberg made this black and white photograph, "Cruise and Jersey Lu, Hollywood," sometime in the late 20th century. It shows a man holding a woman upside down in a seemingly loving embrace. This image prompts us to consider the public role of photography. Goldberg's work often explores marginalized communities and social issues. We might ask, what is the photographer's relationship to his subjects? How does the act of photographing someone affect their representation? The snapshot aesthetic can be seen as a challenge to the authority and artifice of traditional portraiture. It flattens hierarchies and allows for a more intimate and seemingly unmediated view of the subjects. To understand this photograph fully, one could consult Goldberg's other works, critical writings on documentary photography, and social histories of Hollywood. By examining these resources, we can gain insight into how the image functions as both a personal document and a commentary on the broader social landscape.