York Minster- Into the North Transept c. 20th century

Frederick H. Evans made this photograph of York Minster, its North Transept, using a camera and photographic paper, and a very good eye. Look at the way the light is handled here: the columns almost seem to glow. You can sense Evans experimenting with light and shadow, finding the right angle, the right time of day, to capture the spiritual essence of the cathedral. It’s there in the gradations of tone, the way the light filters through the stained glass windows, casting these subtle patterns on the stone. I imagine him carefully considering the composition, positioning the camera just so, to lead your eye into the depths of the space. He plays with the architectural forms, the repetition of the columns, and the arches, to create a sense of rhythm and harmony, like a visual echo, almost. Evans was part of a movement that believed photography could be just as artistic as painting. You can see he’s thinking about light, shadow, texture, just as a painter would, in his attempt to capture not just a picture of a building, but a feeling, an experience. That’s why artists like him are still inspiring photographers and painters today.