The Siebengebirge as seen from Rheinbreitbach 1936

August Sander created this photograph, "The Siebengebirge as seen from Rheinbreitbach," using gelatin silver print, a process which involves coating paper with light-sensitive silver halides. It renders a world of tonal variation, from deep shadows in the foreground to the bright sky above the distant hills. Photography is often considered a purely representational medium, but Sander’s decision-making in the darkroom reminds us that it is also a form of making. Think about the precise timing of the exposure, the careful development of the negative, and the printing itself. Each of these steps can be controlled to create a desired effect. In this photograph, the composition emphasizes the labor of the farmers in the foreground. The fields, carefully tilled and planted, extend toward the horizon, where they meet the natural beauty of the Siebengebirge mountains. Sander highlights the inherent qualities of the landscape, and invites us to reflect on our relationship to it, recognizing the amount of work that goes into creating our cultivated environment. This photograph challenges the traditional art categories, and merges the act of farming with the process of artistic creation.