Diablo Dam en Skagit River, Washington [staat], Verenigde Staten 1936

This photograph of the Diablo Dam on the Skagit River in Washington State was created by Wouter Cool. It's a black and white image, which heightens our awareness of the dam's sheer physicality. Look at the tonal range – the subtle gradations of grey that define the architecture, and the torrent of water cascading over it. You can almost feel the spray. Consider, too, how the photograph itself was made. It is a document of a massive feat of engineering: the dam as infrastructure, harnessing nature, and promising power to distant cities. A project like this meant labor, politics, and consumption, and a huge transformation of the natural landscape. Looking closely at the image, we can appreciate the artistry involved in capturing this industrial sublime. In doing so, we realize that photography, too, is a kind of making.