Although Ruth Bernhard is best known for her modernist
figure studies and meticulous working method—taking days to construct her vision before
the lens and aiming to expose only one perfect negative—she also photographed
more spontaneously on the streets of New York City. This charming photograph
demonstrates Bernhard’s flexibility: the image maintains her extreme sensitivity
to form and composition even while focusing on the varied expressions of the three
young boys staring back at her camera.