Gezicht op de Hervormde Kerk te Berlicum 1890 - 1920

This photo of the Reformed Church in Berlicum was made by an anonymous photographer from Monumentenzorg. Looking at this sepia-toned image, I imagine the photographer setting up their equipment, maybe feeling a bit like a painter staring at a blank canvas. What’s the best angle? How do you capture the essence of this solid, towering structure? The way the light hits the steeple, casting a shadow down the side – I wonder if they waited for that perfect moment, like chasing after a fleeting feeling in a painting. I imagine they were trying to record it, but photography is never truly objective, is it? There’s always a point of view, a choice of what to include and what to leave out. I bet other photographers have captured the same church over the years, each one bringing their own perspective. And isn't it interesting how the impulse to record a thing connects painting with photography? Like we're all just trying to grab hold of something solid in a world that's constantly changing.