Untitled--Forest Scene c. 1930 - 1940

August Sander made this untitled forest scene with photography, and it’s like he’s painting with light. The grayscale palette really emphasizes the textures and forms. It’s fascinating how the fog blurs the background, pushing the foreground into sharp relief. The layers of leaves are almost tactile, like you could reach out and crunch them under your feet. See that branch reaching in from the top? It’s so spindly, almost skeletal. Yet, it anchors the whole composition, giving it a sense of depth. It’s like he’s saying, even in the midst of decay, there’s still structure and beauty. I'm reminded of Eugène Atget, another photographer who captured the quiet poetry of everyday life. There's a similar appreciation for the mundane, a willingness to find beauty in the overlooked. It reminds me that art isn’t about perfection; it’s about seeing the world in new ways.