Longmont, Colorado 1982 - 1992

Robert Adams made this photograph, Longmont, Colorado, sometime in the 20th century, probably with a large format camera. It's a square, almost meditative image that draws you into a suburban backyard scene. What strikes me is the dog, sitting there with its back to us, contemplating... something. Is it the gate in the fence? Or the leaves scattered on the grass? The dog is like a stand-in for the photographer, and for us, the viewers. We're invited to ponder the scene alongside this furry philosopher. Adams is known for his stark and beautiful documentation of the American West. But it's not just about grand landscapes; he finds poetry in the ordinary, the mundane. Maybe that's what he’s trying to do here, too. The quiet contemplation in this image reminds me of other photographers like Stephen Shore and his banal but beautiful images. It’s like Adams is saying, hey, even in Longmont, Colorado, there's something worth seeing, something worth contemplating.