Sally Mann. Candy Cigarette, 1989
Photo Credit: Whitney Museum of American Art

Sally Mann’s “Candy Cigarette” is one of the most iconic photographs of the 20th century. Featuring a young preteen girl gazing directly into the camera, cigarette in hand, the image is striking and resonates with the viewer in its drastic color contrasts.

Through her clever use of background images and subtle body language, Mann is perhaps telling the story of a defiant young woman straying from the straight and narrow path.

The distinct white path in the background is the viewer’s first clue. A pale white in a largely dark and brooding photograph, it represents a certain way or path of life. Perhaps it’s the way the girl’s parents raised her, or perchance it’s her conscience urging her to make a particular decision.

Either way, she’s rejecting it, facing the camera with her back to the path. This contrasts sharply with the slightly out-of-focus girl to the right and the boy on stilts in the background, both facing toward the path. Perhaps these are her siblings, serving as examples in an attempt to change her mind.

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