Untitled (women selling food at outdoor stand) c. 1950

This photo, taken by Robert Burian, shows women selling food at an outdoor stand. Look closely at how the details emerge from the dark backdrop, creating an almost ghostly scene. It reminds me of the way we build up layers in a painting, each one influencing the next, until an image begins to take shape. I’m drawn to the way the light catches the edges of the tent, giving it a strange glow. The texture of the photograph feels almost tactile, like you could reach out and touch the surface of the image. The faces of the women have a haunting, dreamlike quality. This particular effect makes me think about how photography, like painting, is never really objective; it's always filtered through the artist's perspective. Burian’s photo is a reminder that art can be found in the everyday, in the fleeting moments of human connection. It echoes the work of photographers like Diane Arbus, who found beauty in the unconventional. Ultimately, this piece invites us to consider the layers of meaning and emotion that can be found in a single image.