Panorama van de stad Decín (Duits: Tetschen-Bodenbach) aan de Elbe, Tsjechië c. 1890 - 1925

This black and white photograph by Stengel & Markert pictures a panoramic view of Decín in the Czech Republic. I wonder what it was like for the photographer to capture this scene, lugging around bulky equipment to find the perfect vantage point? I imagine a time of slow photography, where each shot was a deliberate act. The composition is really striking with its high angle. The river carves through the landscape like a vein, connecting the town to the surrounding hills. The bridge looks like such a delicate structure against the landscape's mass. It must have been a pretty advanced feat of engineering for its time. I am thinking about all those tiny houses clustered together, each with its own story, its own life. Photographs like this are part of a conversation across time, inspiring us to reflect on place, history, and human impact on the landscape.