Gloucester fishermen pulling in their nets to bring their catch nearer to the surface so the dip net can transfer them to the big boat. Gloucester, Massachusetts 1943

This photograph by Gordon Parks captures Gloucester fishermen hauling their nets. The image, a gelatin silver print, is rendered in tones of gray, a deliberate artistic choice that echoes the often harsh realities of working life. Consider the labor involved. Every aspect of this scene reflects human effort, from the construction of the boat with its carved wooden planks to the hand-woven nets. The process of fishing itself—the physical exertion of pulling heavy nets from the ocean—is front and center. The fishermen are shown in labor to gather their catch, requiring coordinated teamwork. Parks’s choice of photography as a medium is significant here. Photography, unlike painting, has an inherent connection to documenting reality. Here, it memorializes the strenuous labor of the fishermen. It reminds us that all objects, even a photograph, are born of making and situated within a particular social context.