Glen Onoko, Onoko Falls c. 1895

William H. Rau made this albumen print, “Glen Onoko, Onoko Falls," sometime in the late 19th century. During this time, industrialization was rapidly changing the American landscape, and photography played a crucial role in shaping perceptions of nature. Glen Onoko was a popular tourist destination, accessible by railroad, which speaks to how the sublime experience of nature was being commodified and consumed. At first glance, we are met with the romantic aesthetic of the sublime and picturesque, however, look closer. There is a lone figure on the cliff that, in its extreme smallness, emphasizes the monumentality of nature. This representation highlights the complexity of our relationship to the land: both reverential and exploitative. Rau’s composition offers a window into the evolving ideas about nature, progress, and the human place within the landscape. The photograph is not merely a depiction but an interpretation, reflecting the cultural values and anxieties of its time.