Untitled [trees and stream] c. 1915

This photograph of trees and a stream, was taken by Theodore Eitel. It's a simple scene, captured in muted tones – mostly greys and browns, like an old memory. The light is diffuse, creating a soft, almost dreamy quality. You can almost feel the quiet solitude of the forest. I’m thinking about Eitel, out there with his camera, trying to capture this moment, this particular light. What was he thinking? What drew him to this scene? The way the stream cuts through the leaves, reflecting the sky? The starkness of the trees against the pale sky? It’s about seeing the world, one frame at a time. Other photographers like Ansel Adams or Minor White had a very different way of seeing and being in a landscape. It makes you wonder whether all artists are in a conversation across time, each adding their own perspective.