Grote Markt in Nijmegen met rechts de Boterwaag en op de achtergrond de toren van de Sint Stevenskerk c. 1905 - 1907

Folkert Idzes de Jong made this photograph of the Grote Markt in Nijmegen. It's all about the grey here, isn't it? The tones are a bit murky, a bit faded, all soft edges, but it's not a painting. This is a world of textures. You can almost feel the grit of the stone buildings. Look at the way the tower of the Sint Stevenskerk rises in the background, imposing and solid. It reminds me of those old photogravures. Do you know them? I find myself drawn to the way the light catches the edges of the buildings, as if to create a dialogue between light and shadow, revealing the city's history. It gives the scene a moody, almost painterly quality. It's a little reminiscent of Atget, who spent his life documenting the streets of Paris. Ultimately, photography shares a fundamental desire to capture and interpret the world around us.