Untitled (portrait of girl with ringlets in dress, standing, holding carnation) c. 1955

This is an undated photographic portrait by Paul Gittings of a girl with ringlets in a dress, holding a carnation. I wonder what it was like for Paul, in the dark room, coaxing an image from the ether? There's an interesting contrast between the ephemeral quality of photographic images and the technical equipment required to create them. He probably used a large format camera and glass plate negatives. It must have been a slow, deliberate, labor-intensive process, not like today's quick snapshots! When I look at this photographic negative, I can feel the materiality of the medium, the texture and grain of the film. It's easy to imagine the patience, and the sheer technical skill involved in capturing such a delicate and intimate image. Every gesture seems to communicate intention and meaning. And that little girl, she's probably forgotten all about it. But the image of her remains. Isn't that the magic of art? Artists are in an ongoing conversation, sharing ideas across time, inspiring each other's creativity. Painting, photography, it's all embodied expression. Ambiguity and uncertainty are part of it, allowing for multiple meanings.