Native of Indiana in a migratory labor contractor's camp, near Calipatria, California  1937

Here's Dorothea Lange’s photograph of a native of Indiana in a migratory labor camp in California. It’s all in shades of grey, a document, but also a work of art. I feel the artist's compassion, you know? Like she’s trying to show us something important, something about hardship and resilience. Lange found the extraordinary in the ordinary, the inherent dignity in the face of adversity. I can imagine Lange, setting up her camera, trying to capture the right light, the right angle. What’s she thinking as she presses the shutter? The person in the photo is holding a tool, maybe a shovel. Their hands look worn, but they’re holding it steady. Their gaze is direct, meeting ours. The whole composition is so simple. But those details—the texture of the clothes, the lines on their face—they tell a whole story. Lange’s work reminds us that art isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about bearing witness, and it’s about sparking conversations.