Accidental Renaissance

Image Transcription:

[ A young woman behind a cafe bar carefully pours frothed milk from a small stainless steel pitcher into a sturdy teacup. The woman’s dark hair is pulled back and out of her face with a grey pinstripe kerchief , secure in place with black hairclips, giving her a folksy look that initially seems at odds with the trendy decor of the shop. It’s all exposed joists, Edison-style bulbs, slick stainless steel, severe white paint with a dark reclaimed wood floor, but the rest of her outfit (a typical all-black waitress wardrobe with a black half-apron and a shirt that has three-quarter length sleeves that highlight toned forearms from carrying trays all day) speak very much to her kerchief being a practical and stylish alternative to a hairnet. The hand that is closest to us rests lightly on the counter, her delicate fingers splayed, a men’s style wristwatch sits halfway up her forearm. In front of her are stacks of saucers that match the standard color and sturdy thickness of the cup she is filling. There are some faint geometric discolorations visible across the entire photo because we are looking in from a window that is partially reflecting the building behind the camera. The photographer’s reflection cannot be seen; Either a fortuitous coincidence or (more likely) a conscious choice on the part of a skilled photographer to conceal themselves in a shadow to make the photo more immersive for the viewer. ]