Landweg bij Shewasaulu, Zuid-Afrika 1968

Here we have two photographs, snapped by Willem Jacob van den Berg in South Africa, likely around the middle of the 20th century. The way the images are composed, the use of soft light, feels like an impressionist painting. There's a sense of fleeting moments captured, not unlike when you are trying to preserve a beloved memory. The texture of the prints is grainy, giving a tactile quality to the scenes. It's almost as if you could reach out and feel the rough bark of the trees, or the dry earth of the road. The colour palette is muted, with the greens and browns blending together in a harmonious way. It creates an atmosphere of serenity and calm, inviting us to pause and appreciate the simple beauty of nature. Van den Berg's photographs remind me of the work of photographers like William Eggleston, in the way they elevate the ordinary and find poetry in everyday life. And like all good art, these images leave me with more questions than answers, sparking my curiosity and imagination.