Ruth

Ruth,
Danville, Virginia, 1968
By Emmet Gowin

The wild hair and the vacant, insouciance of Ruth's stare are what struck me at first in Emmet Gowin's capture. Then the details start to appear. The little, but nonetheless, important details and components that make a photograph what it is. The brush in her hand as she clasps over her other hand, lead the eye nicely over to the large pocket complete with a dotted pattern.
Pointless to go on, as I am just listing all that is visible. More to the heart of the matter, why this photograph speaks to me lies in its mystery, all is not revealed.
It brings to mind an Arbus quote along the lines of
'A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know'