Machines en werknemers in een hal van suikerfabriek Ngandjoek op Java c. 1925 - 1930

This photograph by Isken, titled Machines en werknemers in een hal van suikerfabriek Ngandjoek op Java, gives a sepia toned glimpse into a colonial sugar factory. You know, sometimes the absence of colour can really dial up the drama, focusing your eye on texture and form. Check out how the light catches those huge gears. The photographer really knew how to use light. You can almost feel the heat and the grind of the machinery. I love how the composition is layered, drawing you back into the depths of the factory, it makes you imagine the scale of the industrial operations. This reminds me of some of the photographs by Bernd and Hilla Becher, those stark, objective shots of industrial structures. Although that comparison highlights the way that Isken's photograph seems to embrace the chaos and ambiguity of real life, in contrast to the Becher's rigorous formal approach. Anyway, this photo is just asking us to think about the relationship between people, machines, and the landscapes they inhabit.