D.A.R.--Los Angeles 1956

Robert Frank's black and white photograph, "D.A.R.--Los Angeles," captures a moment, seemingly unposed. The grainy texture and stark contrast feel less about perfection and more about authenticity. Look at the woman leaning over the table, her concentration palpable as she examines something unseen. It's these details, the almost intrusive way we're allowed to observe, that give Frank's work its emotional punch. The depth of field keeps our eyes focused, and the composition - the ladies placed in a row, the backdrop looking like an interior garden arrangement - pulls the whole image together. Frank reminds me of Walker Evans, and his ability to find beauty and meaning in everyday scenes of America. Both invite us to contemplate not just what we see, but how we see it, leaving plenty of room for our own stories to unfold.