Lichtzuilen op het Damrak bij het Victoriahotel tijdens de Edison Lichtweek Amsterdam, 1929 1929

This photo, "Lichtzuilen op het Damrak bij het Victoriahotel tijdens de Edison Lichtweek Amsterdam, 1929," was captured by Bernard Eilers, and it’s all about the dance of light. I imagine Eilers, setting up his camera, waiting for that perfect moment when the artificial glow of the light festival meets the natural darkness, reflecting on the water. It makes me think about the possibilities within constraints. The almost painterly quality of the blurred lights and their reflections feels deliberate. The composition, with its stark contrast, echoes the work of other photographers who were also experimenting with capturing the fleeting effects of light and shadow. Think of Alvin Langdon Coburn and his vortographs. It's as if Eilers is saying, "Look, even in the dark, there's so much to see if you just adjust your eyes."