Gasparetti Baptism, Martins Creek, Pennsylvania 1979

Larry Fink made this photograph, 'Gasparetti Baptism, Martins Creek, Pennsylvania', with a camera, of course. The image is a domestic scene, maybe a kitchen, where family members are gathered around a baby lying on a table, perhaps getting ready for the ceremony. I can imagine Fink moving around them, getting in close, trying to find the right angle. He’s trying to capture something raw, something real about this family, and the feeling in this room. Look at the way he uses light and shadow to create drama and depth. It reminds me of some of the old masters like Caravaggio, but with a decidedly modern sensibility. The high contrast and close-up perspective feel voyeuristic, intimate, and maybe a little bit uncomfortable. The composition is so interesting; it's almost like he's riffing on family portraiture, disrupting its conventions by introducing an edgy, documentary feel. You can sense his interest in exploring the social landscape of everyday life. I think he's asking us to consider what it means to witness these private moments, and how photography can both reveal and conceal the complexities of human experience.