Erica Smith, St. Gabriel, Louisiana 2 - 2001

"Erica Smith, St. Gabriel, Louisiana" (2001) is a photograph by Deborah Luster from her series "A Southern Family," which examines the lives of a family in Louisiana. The image features a young woman, Erica Smith, in a close-up portrait. Luster uses a tintype process to capture the subject, giving the photograph a vintage, almost archival quality, that evokes the tradition of family portraiture. The composition is simple, with Smith looking directly at the viewer against a dark background, creating a sense of intimacy and vulnerability. The work explores themes of identity, family, and the complexities of life in the American South.