Upon first reading, this scene portrays the working class with a man slinging a tool over his head and the other kneeling in labor. The workers’ strife is amplified by the dark, stiffness of their metal bodies and the iron gates. I see this pain and toil.

Based on your process, I next wonder what moment in history you chose to capture and the intended historical context of the piece. I’m interested in why you chose to photograph their backs instead of their faces where we usually read emotion. Yet, the arch of their backs and the movement in their limbs that you have captured evokes sympathy. Perhaps not showing their faces or specific identifiers ensures that your work immediately appeals to any viewer’s humanity, beyond prejudices.