['Natal-Maritzburg-View in the park', 'Worcester-Central view'] before 1880

Here we have two landscape photographs by Sam Alexander, of similar dimensions and mounted on a larger display. Both images present a structured layering of space. In the upper photograph, dense foliage dominates the foreground, gradually revealing a clearing. The composition uses contrasting textures, from the rough organic forms of the trees to the flat clearing in the background. The lower photograph presents a panoramic view of the town. Notice how the arrangement creates a dialogue between human settlement and the natural environment. These images act as cultural signs, suggesting the photographer’s view on urbanization and how nature is perceived. They invite a reflection on how space, light, and composition are used not just to document, but also to construct meaning within the semiotic landscape of visual representation. How do these images challenge or reinforce our understanding of landscape?