Paard en wagen bij een overweg van de Staatsspoorwegen in Goes, Zeeland before 1915

This small photograph by Bernard Eilers captures a horse and cart by a level crossing in Goes, Zeeland. Just imagine the kind of attention to detail and patience required to produce it. I imagine Eilers carefully studying the scene, figuring out the best angle to capture the interaction of horse, cart, and the landscape. What was he thinking when he clicked the shutter? Maybe something about progress versus tradition. The horse and cart, so traditional, posed in front of the modern railway. There’s a gentle surface texture, with shades of grey defining each shape. That sharp line of the rail contrasts with the soft curves of the horses and the woman's costume, and it's these kinds of contrasts and their relations to one another, that give photography its dynamism. It makes you think about how other artists, from different periods, have grappled with similar ideas, each adding their unique voices to the conversation.