The Art of photography

RespondingtotheSubject:Love

DianeArbusfeltthatloveinvolves

"peculiar,unfathomablecombinati

ofunderstandingandmisunderstan

ing,"

andshetookagreatmanypi

turesinanefforttocapturethisquali

Shewent

toa

bridal

fashionshowai

photographedgirlstryingonweddii

dressesfortheirfiancesandmothei

Shetookpicturesofablindcouple,

homosexualcouple,andapairof 6

year-oldidenticaltwinbrotherswl

saidtheyhadneverbeenseparated

dayintheirlives.Thenshefour

outaboutaNewJerseyhousewi

wholoved

animals

andwasparticula

devotedtoababymacaquemonk

named

Sam.MissArbus askedperm

siontophotographherathome,ai

thewomanagreed.

Thephotographs weremadewi

electronicflash—intentionallyplaci

closetothecameratocreateaveilii

reflectionandharshshadows.Bysii

ulatingamateursnapshots,shehopi

tocatchaflavorof"totalordinariness

Mostofthepicturesdidnotsatisfy

h

becausethewomanwas"cooing

smiling

orexcitedoreagerornervous

Theoneatleft,however,hadaqual

thatshefounddeeplytouching.Ith

thestartlingeffectoflookinglikea

father'ssnapshotofhiswifeandyoun

ster.Andtheeffectisemphasized

thewoman,who"seemsextremelys

riousandgrave,inthesamewayyou

graveaboutthesafetyofachild."

DIANE
ARBUS. 1971