Untitled (group of children posing around miniature piano) c. 1955

This photograph by Paul Gittings captures a group of children posing around a miniature piano. I can imagine Paul Gittings, arranging these kids like a little theater production! What was he thinking, trying to freeze that chaos into a perfect shot? You can feel the awkwardness, that in-between moment when everyone's trying to look natural but knows they're being watched. It’s like the moment before the music starts, all the players poised. It's a bit like painting, actually. You set the stage, arrange your elements, and then try to capture something real. You can almost feel the texture of their hair, and the stiff fabric of their dresses, and the dark wood of the piano. The work of another photographer, Judith Joy Ross, also comes to mind; who similarly captured children in all their awkward glory. It’s interesting to see how artists build on each other’s work, seeing the world through different eyes, but always in conversation. Ultimately, photographs like these are beautiful, messy, and real.