Drie meisjes lopen over de Amsterdamse Singel 1913 - 1940

Bernard Eilers made this tiny photograph of three girls walking along a canal in Amsterdam. I can imagine Eilers carefully composing the shot, waiting for the right moment, and clicking away with his camera. These girls are strolling along the canal, and I bet they’re having a good old natter. I see the soft, silvery tones of the photograph, and I feel the cold air of the canal. The photograph is so small, yet it holds so much. It reminds me of the work of Eugène Atget, who roamed the streets of Paris, documenting the city's changing face. Both Eilers and Atget, in their own ways, captured the soul of their cities. In this photograph, Eilers is inviting us to pause and reflect on the everyday beauty that surrounds us. And that is a worthwhile endeavour for any artist.