Rhonda Payne, St. Gabriel, Louisiana 25 - 1999

Deborah Luster made this tintype photograph of Rhonda Payne in St. Gabriel, Louisiana, and something about this process really gets under my skin. The photo has this ghostly, antique vibe because of the tintype process, and it makes me think about how we remember people. The dark backdrop throws Rhonda's face and the sandal she holds into stark relief. It's like they're floating in time. And because the backdrop is so dark, the light shining on her polo shirt is really set off and makes the whole image glow, like a memory. The sandal Rhonda holds is so curious; it's so tactile. It makes me consider what objects we hold onto to remind us of a person, and why. This photograph reminds me of the work of Dawoud Bey, who similarly makes photographs that bring an incredible sense of humanity to their subjects. But ultimately, this piece offers a space of quiet reflection about memory.