Mujer y Pájaros (Woman and Birds) Possibly 1988 - 1990

Graciela Iturbide made this gelatin silver print, Mujer y Pájaros, and I love the way she uses the black and white tones to create such a magical feeling. It’s like the world is turning into a dream right before your eyes. There's something about how the woman blends into the background, almost disappearing among the birds and the buildings, that makes you think about how we're all connected. The birds feel like they are bursting from the walls, this must have been a unique experience to witness. Look at the texture of the adobe buildings and the way the light catches the wings of the birds, it's like she’s painting with light and shadow. The image as a whole vibrates with potential. Iturbide has been compared to Henri Cartier-Bresson, another photographer who was so good at capturing those fleeting moments that reveal something deeper about life. Her work is a reminder that art is really about seeing the world in a new way. It’s about being open to the unexpected and finding beauty in the everyday.