Gezicht op een sloot langs een rij bomen before 1902

Here, in this book we find a photograph by Alfred Schneider of a view along a row of trees. The composition is bisected by the horizontal band of the water, the trees form a delicate screen, and the photograph rewards a slow kind of looking. I think the picture plane functions as a membrane, holding the image in place. Look closely and you will see that the image shifts between clarity and softness, like a memory fading in and out of focus. Notice how the reflections in the water are almost more solid than the trees themselves. The soft variations in tone and texture create a feeling of quiet contemplation. I love how the artist lets the scene breathe, allowing the viewer to wander through the details. This photograph puts me in mind of the work of Eugène Atget, another artist who found beauty in the everyday. Both artists remind us that art is about more than just what we see, it's about how we see.