Self-Portrait, Financial District, San Francisco 1973

This black and white photograph, taken by Michael Jang, captures a moment in San Francisco’s Financial District. The subjects are right there, in your face, almost confrontational, like they're daring you to look away. I wonder what it was like for Jang to stand on that street corner, camera in hand. Was he nervous? Did he feel like an intruder, or did he feel like he belonged? The composition is so interesting - it feels spontaneous, as though Jang simply pointed and shot. But is that really the case? How did he make the choice to include these particular strangers in his frame? Look how Jang places himself among the anonymous figures that make up city life. Jang’s self portrait makes me think of the work of Garry Winogrand who roamed the streets of New York, looking for the 'decisive moment.' It's like they're both part of a larger, ongoing conversation among artists about how to capture the pulse of a city. In the end, what I love about this image is its honesty. It embraces uncertainty and ambiguity, and it invites me to bring my own interpretations and meaning to the work.