Two men on street--Reno, Nevada 1956

Robert Frank made this photograph of two men on a street in Reno, Nevada, sometime in the mid-twentieth century. It’s a black and white image, and like much of Frank’s work, it has a casual, off-the-cuff feel. It’s this sense of immediacy, this slice-of-life quality, that makes the picture so compelling. The tonal range in the photograph is really interesting. Frank coaxes so much out of a limited palette. The darks are rich and dense, especially in the men's clothing and the shadowy reflections in the shop windows. Then you have these highlights, like the side of the car and the bright sky, which create contrast and give the image its snap. Look at the way the light catches the cigarette in the man’s mouth. It’s a tiny detail, but it speaks volumes. The framing is also so intentional; it's like the photograph is casually cropping reality. You get the feeling that there is so much more to the story. It reminds me of Walker Evans, another photographer who captured America with a mix of grit and grace.