Tree Stump (Parez) 1949

Miroslav Hák made this photograph, a silver gelatin print, of a tree stump. I think, sometimes the most basic subjects can be the most interesting. The way Hák plays with light and shadow here, it's almost sculptural. Look at the way the light glides over the woodgrain, emphasizing the texture, and how it pools in the hollows, giving the stump a kind of melancholic depth. I love the contrast between the rough, earthy base and the smoother, more refined lines of the trunk. The stump itself looks a bit like a Henry Moore sculpture, but somehow more real, you know? Like, nature beat us to it. It reminds me of the landscape photography of people like Ansel Adams, especially in the way they find drama in simple forms. And yet, it's so much more humble and intimate. This piece is a reminder that great art can be found in the most unassuming places.