Gezicht op de Oisterwijkse Vennen, Noord-Brabant before 1915

This monochromatic photograph captures a landscape scene from Oisterwijkse Vennen, Noord-Brabant, its creator unknown. I can imagine the photographer here, trying to capture the reflection of the trees in the water. I bet it was a really quiet day with perfect stillness. I can almost feel them, pausing, just trying to get it right. Did they feel the breeze? Did they hear birdsong? The composition is divided into the dark vertical trunks of the trees to the left, and the expanse of the lake and the trees opposite. The reflections are slightly blurred. In painting, we might call that sfumato - a hazy atmospheric effect. Even in a photograph, the artist can create that sense of mystery and tone through the composition of dark and light. This artist may be anonymous but I feel very connected to them, standing here looking at this scene.