Johnny Grant (Lower West Side series) 1973

Milton Rogovin made this gelatin silver print, Johnny Grant, from his Lower West Side series sometime in the 20th century. Rogovin’s strength is in his patient observation, which is evident in the image's carefully observed tones and textures. The grain of the photograph is beautiful, giving a gritty texture to the brickwork of the building in the background. The image is black and white, but there are so many shades and tones in between, which gives the image depth and a certain feel. Look at the way the light catches the faces of the subjects and their clothing. Each tone and surface feels slightly different. Even the way that the child is bundled up in white swaddling clothes, in stark contrast to the father's dark shirt, is rendered with such careful precision. Rogovin’s work reminds me of other photographers who are interested in documenting a particular place or community, like the work of Jacob Riis. Both of them, in their own way, invite us to consider what it means to be human, and the different ways of seeing and experiencing the world.