Robert Frank, "Gallup, New Mexico"

This image from Robert Frank's The Americans is entitled "Gallup, New Mexico". It is one of my favorite images for many reasons. I love the composition of the photograph. It seems like it was shot from the hip as if Frank wasn't even using his view finder. The horizon is slanted and the two silhouettes on either side frame the image at odd angles. The only light sources are the dingy florescent lights hanging above. The photograph seems entirely candid. The subjects add an immense level of tension to the photograph. Their outfits and poses are intimidating. I like this photograph because it ignores many of the rules that other photographs follow. The subject(s) are in the middle, the image is skewed, half of it is black, the light source is poor, in the shot and washed out, the focus is soft and the image is grainy. Despite all of this the photograph is amazing. It attracts the attention of the viewer. Because of the silhouettes in the foreground, the image draws you into the picture and into the moment.