Nairobi, 2004, on Accra Road Possibly 2004 - 2014

In 2004, Leo Rubinfien made this black and white photograph on Accra Road in Nairobi. The image has a documentary feel, but I'm drawn to the quiet intensity of the subject. I imagine Rubinfien, camera in hand, noticing this person, maybe on a crowded street, and feeling compelled to capture that gaze. There's a directness that really grabs you. Look at how the light catches the side of his face, throwing the rest into shadow. The texture is built up through different layers of grey: the smooth skin, the soft fabric of his top, contrasted with the more distressed, rough texture of the bus behind him. It makes me think about Robert Frank and his ability to capture the poetry of everyday life. Rubinfien's photograph has that same quality. The way the subject glances back at the camera; it feels almost conspiratorial, like we're sharing a secret. All the great photographers are in conversation with one another like that. Isn't it amazing how a single captured moment can speak volumes?