Een vrouw en twee jongens op het dek van een schip 1904 - 1905

This is Jan Schüller's photograph, Een vrouw en twee jongens op het dek van een schip, or A woman and two boys on the deck of a ship, a gelatin silver print. There's something about the off-center framing that draws me in, it's as if the scene was captured on the fly, which makes the composition feel so vital. The tones are muted, like a memory fading. The way the light falls across the deck, illuminating the faces while leaving their expressions shadowed, creates a sense of intimacy. The imperfections of the silver gelatin print give it a handmade quality. The physical texture of the paper itself adds a layer of depth. It reminds me of the work of early photographers like Julia Margaret Cameron, who embraced the imperfections of the medium to create images that were both haunting and beautiful. It’s this commitment to showing rather than telling that makes this a deeply compelling piece.