Westlake, California 1956

Robert Frank made this photograph, Westlake, California, using gelatin silver. The tones in this image are almost painterly, like a pencil drawing, full of greys. It's interesting how much information he manages to cram into a relatively small range of tones. The composition feels so immediate, like he didn’t spend a lot of time setting up the shot. The slightly tilted horizon, and the positioning of the sign – it all feels so spontaneous. There’s a beautiful tension between the geometric forms of the houses and the sweeping curve of the road. Look at the way the light catches the edges of the buildings. It reminds me of some of Ed Ruscha's work, which often has a similar deadpan quality. But Frank's work always feels a bit more personal. More melancholy, maybe. Ultimately it shows how photography is a conversation, a way of seeing and understanding the world. And, like all good art, it leaves you with more questions than answers.