Longmont, Colorado 1982 - 1992

Robert Adams made this photograph, Longmont, Colorado, sometime in the 20th century. It shows a dog, maybe a terrier, sitting in a backyard, gazing out at a simple house. The trees are dense and shadowy, and the grass is speckled with fallen leaves. What was Adams thinking when he made this image? Maybe he was pondering the simple beauty of everyday life, or the way nature and human construction coexist. The dog seems to be in contemplation. The tones are gentle, the contrasts subtle. There is a quiet humbleness to the composition. Think of other photographers who were drawn to the mundane, like Stephen Shore or Walker Evans. Artists are constantly building on one another’s visions, riffing on themes and ideas, and seeing the world through a slightly different lens. It is a never ending back and forth through time.