Untitled 1992

Thomas Roma made this black and white photograph, and it captures an unscripted moment, a slice of life. I love how the two figures in suits are in the throes of feeling, their hands raised as if conducted by invisible forces, almost like they are figures in a painting. I imagine Roma, stepping into a space where the energy is palpable, where the everyday transforms into something extraordinary. The act of photography becomes a dance, a negotiation between observer and observed, capturing gestures, poses, and expressions, each telling a story within a story. And the light! Notice how it sculpts the planes of their faces, how it reveals the textures of their suits, how it breathes life into the scene. It’s as if Roma is not just recording but also interpreting, translating the language of light into a language of emotion. It reminds me of what painters do when they observe the subject that they wish to interpret.