Two men on street--Reno, Nevada 1956

This black and white photograph, Two men on street--Reno, Nevada, was taken by Robert Frank. I feel like Frank just stepped up to these guys and raised his camera. It looks so easy, spontaneous. Did he ask permission, or not? I don't know but I imagine he's thinking about something real: the mundane yet poignant street life. The flatness of the light, the way they're dressed, the cigarette, and the car. All those visual details create a feeling. It’s a sort of in-between moment, like a pause in a song. It's like what painters do, finding a composition or a gesture that resonates with something they feel or want to express, except here it’s on the street. It makes me think about how all artists are in this ongoing conversation, remixing and responding to the world around them. It's about capturing a feeling, an idea, an instant that speaks volumes.