Esperanza Bryant, St. Gabriel, Louisiana 25 - 1999

Deborah Luster made this small tintype of Esperanza Bryant in St. Gabriel, Louisiana. It’s like looking through time, isn't it? The sepia tones and imperfections give it a ghostly feel, but Esperanza’s gaze is so present, so direct. I can almost feel the weight of the metal plate, the way the chemicals might’ve swirled as Luster made the image. Look at the bottom right, it's almost dissolving. The light catches the sheen of her top and denim jeans. There is a tonal range from the almost complete darkness of the background, to the bright highlights on her hands and trainers, making the image feel simultaneously old and new. Luster often photographs those on the margins, and in doing so, she makes visible the unseen. Think of someone like Diane Arbus, but with a softer touch, and an eye for the beauty in the everyday. It's not a perfect image, but its imperfections are what make it so moving.