Wilhelmina en Juliana stappen uit een vliegtuig Possibly 1945 - 1946

This photograph of Wilhelmina and Juliana disembarking an airplane, made by Anefo, captures a moment of transit, a threshold. I love how this photograph, despite being so small, feels so weighty with narrative. It’s not just a record; it’s a scene pregnant with implied stories. What I immediately zoom into is the texture of Wilhelmina’s coat, the way the fabric seems to absorb and mute the light, giving her a grounded, almost stoic presence. Then there's the awkwardness of the composition, the way the figures are arranged almost haphazardly, yet each person seems to play a specific, albeit understated, role. The lighting is quite uniform, there are no particular highlights here, which creates an evenness of tone throughout, almost like a stage set for a play that hasn't quite begun. It's a moment caught mid-breath, a pause before the next act. Thinking about how similar scenes are shot today makes you realize how much photography has changed – and yet, at its core, it is still about capturing the essence of a fleeting instant. This image, with its quiet gravity and understated emotion, speaks volumes.