Dennis Stock - USA. San Francisco, California. 1958. Earl HINES, American piano player and band leader. Jimmy ARCHEY, American trombone player. Francis Joseph "Muggsy" SPANIER, American cornet player and band leader. Earl WATKINS, American drummer.

The above is a photo taken by photographer Dennis Stock that features four jazz musicians. There is a strong contrast between darks and lights that highlight not only the musicians but also the individual instruments that they are playing. The position of each musician creates a variation of lines and shapes that offers a unique dynamic flow. The trombone player in the center creates a strong vertical line while the piano player directly to his left creates a C-shape. The spotlight in the top left hand corner draws the eye in a diagonal line down to the bottom right which highlights all of the figures and their accompanying tools.

I really liked the emotion that the figures brought to the canvas. Each has a strong expression that emphasizes not only their passion for the moment but also for the music they are playing. The varying size of each figure also draws the viewer in and forces them to closely examine the composition to decipher each instrument and player.

Mara Schlanger