Niagara Falls, Verenigde Staten/Canada 1936

This silver gelatin print of Niagara Falls was produced by Wouter Cool at an unknown date. Photography is a mechanical process, after all; and in this image, we see not only the force of nature, but also the forces of industrialization. Note the train in the foreground, running parallel to the road, these are the infrastructures that made Niagara Falls a tourist destination. And look closely at what the train is carrying - perhaps coal, destined to power the factories and homes of a growing industrial society? The composition suggests a deliberate comparison between the sublime power of the waterfall and the more mundane power of human industry. The image is finely detailed, indicative of Cool's mastery of photographic technique. Yet, it’s the social context that really brings the print to life. It reminds us that even the most awe-inspiring natural wonders are always viewed through a lens of human activity and progress.