Child in a Beret, N.Y.C. 1962

Diane Arbus made this photograph of a child holding a guinea pig, somewhere in New York City. I'm curious about Arbus's relationship with her subjects. What does it feel like to be on either side of her lens? I imagine she might have asked this girl to sit very still, and look straight ahead. Did the child feel seen, exposed, or maybe even a bit defiant? The girl’s stare is so direct, so unflinching, that it unsettles. And that guinea pig! It’s like a furry, silent witness, nestled in the girl’s hands. The textures in this photograph are so delicious - the soft fuzz of the guinea pig against the girl’s velvet beret and coat. I love the way Arbus captures those details, bringing them to life. It's like a conversation frozen in time. Arbus, the child, the guinea pig, and us, all caught in this web of observation and emotion. It's a reminder that every image is a collaboration, a dance between the photographer and the world they capture.