Untitled [field c. 20th century

This delicate photograph was made by James Bartlett Rich sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. I think of it as a tonal poem, the sepia tones give it such a dreamy, melancholic feel. I imagine Rich standing there, setting up his camera, trying to capture this idyllic scene. What caught his eye? Was it the way the light filters through the trees, creating a soft, dappled effect on the path? Or the contrast between the wildness of the woods and the simple structure of the wooden fence? It’s all so carefully composed, yet it feels so natural, like a fleeting moment he wanted to hold onto. The textures in this photograph are also incredible, from the rough bark of the trees to the soft earth of the path. I think Rich was not only showing us a place, but also how he felt about it. It reminds me how artists are always in conversation with the world around them, trying to capture the ephemeral, and share it with the rest of us.