Springfield, Massachusetts. Main Street scene 1945

This photograph, of a Main Street scene in Springfield, Massachusetts, was captured by Gordon Parks, and its date is unknown. The composition is built on contrasts, it is light and dark, the smooth body of the car against the rough street and sidewalk, and the formal architecture made dynamic by the passing figures. The darkness in the foreground really draws my eye, it is velvety and deep, throwing the subjects of the photograph into relief. I love the way the light falls on the street, almost dividing the picture in two. Your eye is immediately drawn to the car, parked proudly, but then you notice the figures hurrying along the street, going about their day. It's a slice of life, a moment frozen in time. Parks really has an eye for the beauty in the everyday. Thinking about other photographers, I am reminded of the work of Walker Evans, who also documented everyday life in America with such sensitivity. But where Evans can feel detached, Parks’ work has a warmth, an embrace of humanity.