Untitled (child seated on outdoor tabletap with fish bowl) c. 1940

This untitled photograph, attributed to Paul Gittings, captures a child seated at an outdoor table with a fishbowl. While photographic processes have become largely democratized, this image would have required skill and technical knowledge on the part of the photographer. The photo presents us with a study in contrasts, and a sense of staged artifice that invites speculation about the social context surrounding its making. The child's crisp clothing and footwear hint at a middle-class background, while the fishbowl becomes a symbol of domesticity and leisure, perhaps representing a safe and controlled environment. The photographic process itself also has a bearing on how we perceive the image. The tonal contrast makes us aware of the lighting, and the labor involved in carefully arranging the elements of the composition. Looking at this image, the making reminds us that even seemingly simple snapshots can tell a story about social class, access, and the way that photographic representation contributes to our understanding of everyday life.