Rivier bij de Vøringsfossenwaterval aan de Hardangerfjord, Noorwegen 1861 - 1870

Editor: Here we have Knud Knudsen's gelatin-silver print, "River by the Vøringsfossen Waterfall on the Hardangerfjord, Norway," likely taken sometime in the 1860s. It has a certain stillness to it, despite the subject matter being a powerful waterfall. I'm curious about the choice of composition; what strikes you most about the formal aspects of this piece? Curator: The composition is intriguing, particularly the stark vertical division created by the converging mountain faces. The nearly symmetrical structure draws the eye upwards, emphasizing the height and scale. Consider also the interplay of light and shadow, rendered in shades of grey; this tonal range establishes depth, leading the viewer into the recesses of the landscape. What purpose could the artist be trying to communicate using vertical division, if any? Editor: Hmm, well I'm curious about that myself; there almost seems to be two scenes mashed into one. Is that something you notice often in this particular photographer's works? Or landscape photography, in general? Curator: It's not so much about the artist's broader catalog or about genre conventions; instead, I'm intrigued by what is happening within this self-contained pictorial system. I suggest we return to our careful examination of the composition itself. How does this framing affect the relationship between foreground and background? Are we meant to feel a sense of immersion, or is there a deliberate distancing effect at play? The textures created within that specific relationship between mountain face and flowing water create that feeling of serenity, no? Editor: Yes, I think so! Now that you mention the flow, that makes it clearer what I'm actually seeing in the composition. So it’s not that this composition doesn't work. The artist wanted us to have that very sensation in the moment. I'll certainly remember to consider framing when viewing landscape photos from now on!