Longmont, Colorado, Sally in the Backyard 1981

Robert Adams made this photograph of Sally in a backyard in Longmont, Colorado. It's a black and white photograph. I wonder how long he had to wait for her to sit still? What strikes me is Sally's patient gaze. She looks directly at the camera, almost like she's posing, but there's also a hint of melancholy in her eyes. I imagine Adams carefully composing the shot, balancing the light and shadow to capture Sally's character, and the surrounding fence and overgrown grass. You can almost feel the warmth of the sun on your face, the stillness of the afternoon. It reminds me of other artists, like William Wegman, who photograph their dogs. It's that connection, that communication between species, that artists find so compelling. It’s a quiet moment of connection, reminding us of the beauty and complexity of the everyday.