Magnum photo I love

USA. New York City.

Erich Hartmann, 1948

I chose this picture for several reasons.  First, I love black and white photography.  I feel that black and white photos are more honest and raw; there are no colors to distract the eye from the true nature of the subject.  I also love the subtle tones that black and white images produce.  There are so many shades of grey which can make the picture have strong, stark contrasts or soft, subtle contrasts.  In this particular picture, I love the bright white of the stairs and posts against the darker shades of the building they are attached to.  I like how the picture is slightly off, it appears to tilt to the right a bit.  And lastly, I love how it captures the human subjects in the photo off-guard, the man fixing his hat and the woman stooped over at the top of the stairs.  It gives the picture the sense of truly capturing a moment in time.