William LaRue, Capitol Reef, Utah 1961

Minor White made this portrait of William LaRue in Capitol Reef, Utah, and what strikes me about it is the texture and the interplay of light and shadow. I can imagine Minor, squinting through the lens, carefully adjusting the focus. The light is soft, almost dreamlike, and the way it falls across William’s face and shoulder reminds me of the way Georgia O'Keeffe captured the stark beauty of the New Mexico landscape. Minor was deeply interested in spirituality, and I wonder if he saw something beyond the surface in William, a deeper connection to the natural world. The photograph is so intimate. It's like he's inviting us to contemplate the mystery of human existence. It’s not just a portrait, it's a meditation on beauty, vulnerability, and the search for meaning. Minor was always pushing the boundaries of photography, and you can see echoes of his influence in the work of later artists.