Deel van de scheepswerf van de Tanjong Pagar Dock Co. Ltd. in Singapore before 1905

This photograph of the Tanjong Pagar Dock in Singapore by G.R. Lambert & Co. captures a moment frozen in time. I imagine the photographer, lugging their heavy equipment, searching for the perfect angle. What did they want to capture? The industry? The people? The scale of the ships? The sepia tones lend the image a dreamlike quality, softening the harshness of the industrial landscape. There’s a stillness, a quiet hum of activity, but what feels most striking is the composition. The strong diagonals of the docks lead our eye into the distance, drawing us into the heart of the scene. The photographer is composing with light, letting it fall where it may. Like a painter, Lambert & Co. were using the tools available to them to try and capture a particular vision, contributing to an ongoing conversation of image-making that continues to inspire us today. It is one image among countless ways of seeing.