Parade van auto’s op de wereldtentoonstelling in St. Louis (Louisiana Purchase Exposition), 1904 1904

Here's a small photograph by Jan Schüller, capturing the 'Parade van auto’s op de wereldtentoonstelling in St. Louis,' that's 'Parade of Cars at the World Exhibition in St. Louis' in 1904. It's easy to imagine Schüller, adjusting his camera, trying to get the light just right amidst the hustle of the fair. The cars, of course, are the stars of the show, but it's the backdrop that really grabs me. That grand pavilion looks like a stage, and the people are the audience, all watching the future roll by. I wonder if Schüller felt like he was documenting progress, or just another day at the fair? I can't help but think of Atget, wandering Paris with his camera, capturing a city on the brink of change. Photography, like painting, is a way of freezing a moment, turning the ephemeral into something lasting.