Man, vrouw en kind halen water bij een waterput, Japan 1900 - 1907

This photograph of a man, woman, and child fetching water from a well was taken in Japan by T. Enami. It’s a scene of everyday life, but what strikes me is its stillness, like a paused moment in a silent film. I imagine Enami carefully composing the scene, waiting for the right light, the perfect arrangement of figures. There's a formality to it, yet also an intimacy, a sense of being invited into this quiet ritual. The way the figures are positioned, the textures of their clothing, the surrounding thatched buildings—each element contributes to the story. The composition is so balanced, so perfectly framed, that it speaks to the importance of seeing the world through someone else’s eyes. It's the artist's ability to capture and preserve fleeting moments like these that makes the work truly meaningful. Each image tells a story, not just of the subject, but of the artist's perspective, inviting us to reflect on our own ways of seeing and understanding the world. It's like we're having a conversation across time and space.