Festival--Children c. 1941

This black and white photograph, "Festival—Children," was shot by Robert Frank. It's funny, the way Frank uses light and shadow, it's like he's painting with the camera. There's a beautiful graininess to the photograph, it feels raw and immediate. The composition is dense, a flurry of bodies and faces. The darks really hold the image, that deep shadow that obscures the faces, but it pulls you right in. It makes you wonder what each person is thinking, if they’re aware of being captured. Think of the woman in the foreground. Her face is half-hidden, her body turned away, and what does she make of this, is she a mother, a sister, a stranger? The lack of clarity doesn't diminish the image, it adds a layer of complexity. It reminds me of Helen Levitt’s street photography, that same blend of grit and poetry. In the end, it’s not about answers but about lingering questions.