DAILY PIC: An image of a house in Glastonbury, Conn., shot by Philip Trager in 1976, when he went around the state documenting its buildings. It’s part of a rare survey of Trager’s early works now at the New York Public Library, and selected from its collection. Trager is part of an important school of American photography that took a four-square, unfussy, documentary approach to its subjects. In Trager’s case, many of his New England buildings seem to have the same spirit of directness as the photos he takes of them.

For a full visual survey of past Daily Pics visit blakegopnik.com/archive. The Daily Pic can also be found at the bottom of the home page of thedailybeast.com, and on that site’s Art Beast page.