Men in automobile--Chattanooga, Tennessee 1955

Robert Frank captured this image, "Men in automobile--Chattanooga, Tennessee," with his camera, though the exact date remains a mystery. What strikes me is the palpable feeling of being stuck, of being in transit but going nowhere. Look at the guy in the passenger seat, his hand shielding his face. Is he hiding, or just tired? I imagine Frank, camera in hand, feeling like an outsider looking in, trying to make sense of it all. The grays are so rich, each shade telling a different story. This image reminds me of other photographers who blurred the line between documentary and personal expression, inviting us to feel as much as to see. There's a conversation happening here, not just among artists, but between the image and anyone who stops to look, to really look. It makes you wonder: what journey are we all on, and where are we headed?