Untitled (couples dancing at debutante ball) 1965

Robert Burian captured this debutante ball with his camera, sometime in the mid-20th century. The grey tones give it a timeless quality, like a memory half-faded, but still retaining its emotional essence. Look how Burian plays with light and shadow to create depth and movement. See the way the dancers are posed. They are blurred in motion, making it look like they are gliding around the room. It is not clear who is who, as it seems the artist is more concerned with capturing the essence of the dance. There is a particular mark in the lower right corner, where you can see the photographers notes on the date, and the lot number. In a way, this is like a painter leaving traces of their process for us to find. Robert Frank, another great photographer, did similar work around the same time. Both artists capture fleeting moments of life with their cameras. These artists invite us to find our own meaning in the image.