New York, 2006, at Broadway and John Street Possibly 2006 - 2014

Leo Rubinfien made this gelatin silver print in 2006 on Broadway and John Street in New York. Look at how the light plays on the woman’s face, the incredible range of greys from almost white to deep black. It’s like he’s sculpting with light, revealing the character etched into her skin. The photograph is a study in contrasts. The soft focus on the figures in the background makes the central figure’s face all the more striking. See the lines around her mouth, and the way the light catches her eyes – they tell a story, don’t they? Her raised hand is the only gesture in a still moment. It's like she is making a point. Rubinfien’s work reminds me of Helen Levitt, who captured the fleeting moments of everyday life in New York with such tenderness. Both artists show us that the real beauty is in the unposed, the imperfect, and the utterly human.