Joseph Gasparetti's Baptism, Martins Creek, Pennsylvania 1979

Larry Fink made this photograph, Joseph Gasparetti's Baptism, in Martins Creek, Pennsylvania. Fink's photographs are often about a feeling, an atmosphere, a kind of psychological weather. In this image, the contrast between light and shadow is really working. It feels like a stage set, right? The high contrast really gives the image this theatrical vibe. Look at how Joseph is positioned, almost in a spotlight, but the details are still soft, not too crisp. I mean, this is such a poignant picture. The gravity of the occasion and the vulnerability of the young boy is all wrapped up in how Fink has handled the light and chosen his moment. It's like a Rembrandt, but with a camera. You can feel the influence of someone like Diane Arbus here, that same intimacy and attention to the ordinary. And like Arbus, Fink isn’t afraid to find the beauty in the everyday, or the strange, sad little moments that make up a life. It's a reminder that art doesn't need to be slick to be powerful.