Adobe church--Las Trampas, New Mexico 1955

This black and white photograph shows an adobe church in Las Trampas, New Mexico, taken by Robert Frank. The grainy quality really emphasizes the textures. I love the way that he plays with light and shadow to bring out the roughness of the cross in the foreground. The adobe is the color of earth and the cross is weathered and worn. The cross in the foreground dominates the composition, a powerful symbol, yet it’s leaning to the side, imperfect and vulnerable. This imperfection gives it a human quality. The bell hanging by the door feels like it's waiting to be rung. Frank's photographs are like visual poems. Like the work of Walker Evans, but somehow even more raw and personal. In both cases, it’s all about looking, seeing, and feeling. They remind us that art isn't about perfection. It's about capturing a moment, an emotion, a truth.