Groep leerlingen van de MTS te Haarlem 1930s

This black and white photograph was taken by Fotobureau Stevens and titled Groep leerlingen van de MTS te Haarlem. I wonder how the group felt about having their picture taken. Taking a photograph is an interesting act. Someone is picking and framing a slice of the world to present to us. Think about what the photographer chose to include in this image, how they posed the group, and the choices of the subjects to dress in suits, pearls, and pressed shirts. The subjects are posed as if on bleachers. Like painting, photography is also about arranging marks on a surface. Here, the light and dark are used to define the students' faces and clothing. Look at the range of tones and textures, the way the light reflects off the pearls and the wall behind. I think photography, like painting, offers a way of seeing and making sense of the world around us, fixing a moment in time.