Ralph Coxson with his Wife and Son, Shenango Ingot Molds (Working People series) 1987

Milton Rogovin made this photograph as part of his “Working People” series. There’s a stillness to the way Rogovin shoots. Here, the textures of everyday life, like the gravel at the side of the trailer and the lines of the siding, become really important. The way the light falls feels matter-of-fact, not romantic. It’s like Rogovin is saying, “This is real life, and it’s worth looking at closely.” I like how he frames the family against their home. The American flag, the number 5, the Beaumont sign – it’s all part of their story, not just background noise. There’s a kind of raw honesty in Rogovin’s work that reminds me of other documentary photographers. His work resonates with the idea that art doesn't always need to be pretty, it just needs to be true.