Politiemannen op straat in Durban 1901

This stereoscopic image, "Politiemannen op straat in Durban," probably made with a camera and photographic paper by Underwood & Underwood, shows a street scene with two policemen in Durban. I can almost feel what it was like to be there. The photographer must have been trying to capture the light, the mood, and the everyday life of this street. The composition is so interesting. The two figures are positioned on either side of a lamp post, like they're mirroring each other's presence, echoing in the frame. Were they instructed to stand there, or did they just happen to be in the right place at the right time? The slightly blurred figures in the background and horse-drawn carts hint at movement, creating a sense of depth and bustling urban life. It's so interesting how the act of observing and recording can freeze a moment in time. It makes you wonder about the people in the image and how their lives intersected with the photographer's gaze. It is about history, about time, and about human relationships, an ongoing dialogue that makes art so compelling.