Casey Leto, Hazleton Area High School, Hazleton, Pennsylvania 1994

This photograph, "Casey Leto, Hazleton Area High School, Hazleton, Pennsylvania," by Judith Joy Ross, captures a moment of quiet intensity. I imagine Ross, with her large format camera, carefully composing this shot. What was she hoping to convey in this image of Casey? I wonder if she was trying to capture something more profound, something about the sitter's inner life, not just the exterior. Ross's work reminds me of other portrait photographers who delve deep into the human psyche, like Diane Arbus. It’s like she’s saying, "Here is a person, vulnerable and complex." There's so much emotion packed into that direct gaze, a challenge to the viewer to really see. These artists are always teaching each other – and us – new ways of looking. It shows that photography, like painting, embraces ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations, and invites us to contemplate the layers of meaning embedded within.