The Brown Sisters, Lexington, Massachusetts 1996

This photo, taken by Nicholas Nixon, shows four sisters together in Lexington, Massachusetts. In black and white, the tones play off each other, shadow and light dancing across their faces. It's a study in contrasts, much like life itself. The texture in the photo is striking. You can almost feel the grainy quality of the film. There's a realness in the way the light catches the wrinkles around their eyes, each line telling a story. Look at the way their faces are lit. The shadows accentuate their features, giving them depth and character. It's a subtle dance of light and dark that brings out the essence of each woman. Nixon's series reminds me a bit of the Bechers, with their typologies. But where the Bechers were cool and objective, Nixon is intimate. It's like looking into a mirror, seeing the passage of time etched on our faces.