Pat Sabatine's Twelfth Birthday Party, Martins Creek, Pennsylvania 1981

Larry Fink made this photograph of Pat Sabatine’s twelfth birthday party in Martins Creek, Pennsylvania. The blacks and whites, they’re not just tones, they’re almost characters in this scene. Look at the way the light catches on the faces, how it carves out the space. It’s like he’s not just recording, but really feeling the moment. The grain feels deliberate, like he’s not trying to hide anything, the honesty of the party, the people and the cake. Check out the woman with the cigarette, she's got a bit of glare on her face. There is a kind of roughness to her that is really endearing. And the kid who’s cutting the cake, he's got a metal band t-shirt on and a heavy expression, it’s kind of beautiful in it's own way. I guess what I like is the way Fink isn't afraid to show the realness of life. I’m reminded of Diane Arbus’ work, there’s a similar unflinching gaze. Both artists find a kind of beauty in the everyday, the imperfect, the human. It's like they're saying, "This is life, and it's alright."