Acht plekken rond de rivier de Vologne before 1898

This is a page from an unbound book, featuring photographs by A. Thiriat, capturing eight different views along the Vologne River. The images, presented in grayscale, are carefully arranged on the page with some set at slight angles, and one in a circular frame. Photography, though appearing to be a straightforward capturing of reality, is in fact deeply mediated. The photographer chooses the viewpoint, the framing, the exposure, and the printing process. All of these decisions inform the final image. In this case, the choice of black and white adds a level of abstraction, directing our attention to form and composition. Consider too, the labor involved: from the photographer's work in the field to the darkroom technicians who developed these prints, and the bookbinders who assembled them. This book is an artifact of industrial production, and the photographs, while seemingly direct representations of nature, are in fact carefully constructed objects. Recognizing the means of production helps us to understand the social and cultural values embedded within this depiction of the Vologne River.