Dorothea Lange and 2nd best compliment

I was informed last week by my local public television station and arts commission that I had won a contest I entered. I won a copy of the book 'Dorothea Lange: Grab a Hunk of Lighting'. Today I got to pick up my book and I can't wait to tear into it.

Dorothea's work was one of the first that resonated with me when I started in photography. The simplicity and honesty spoke to me.

In college we had an open assignment and I chose to do a story on some local homeless people (before it was a popular thing to do). I went out and talked to the people, took the images, and developed and printed these images. One of the comments made by my instructor and the class was that it felt like a Dorothea Lange picture (and without me mentioning my affinity to her work). To this day it is the 2nd best compliment I have ever received on my work.