Florida 2016

Richard Ross made this photograph, titled Florida. There are so many ways to 'paint' a picture, right? Just look at the way the light and shadow define the space, giving it depth and a kind of edgy stillness, like a Hopper painting. The red of the subject's uniform really pops, doesn't it? It’s like a bold color field fighting against the pale, institutional backdrop. I can't help but wonder what Ross was thinking when he snapped the shot. Maybe he was trying to capture the weight of the situation, the stark reality of the prison system. Or maybe he was simply drawn to the visual contrast, the way the colors and lines played off each other. The guard in the background behind the window is a striking detail. Ross's photograph speaks to the power of photography as a tool for social commentary. Artists have always been inspired by one another. Ross's photograph is part of an ongoing dialogue about what it means to see, to feel, and to be human.