Allentown Fair, Pennsylvania 1979

Larry Fink made this photograph, Allentown Fair, Pennsylvania, with gelatin silver. You know, the fair is so much about passing through, quick pleasures, and that’s captured here. Fink’s all about the moment, not perfection. The grainy texture of the photo gives it this raw, documentary feel. The blacks are deep, the whites glow under the lights. Notice the way the lights on the carts and the track seem to flicker, contrasting with the deep shadows of the fair at night. And that kid with the slightly dazed expression on the fair ride, it's so subtly observed, yet has this almost tragic quality. There’s a formal balance, for sure, but it feels more like a slice of life than a posed shot. Fink’s photography reminds me a bit of Diane Arbus’s, but with a little less of the darkness, and a little more empathy. They're both capturing these fleeting moments of humanity. It’s a good reminder that art can be found in the everyday, if you’re willing to look closely and not be afraid of what you might see.