Richard Strauss at the conductor's desk c. 1930 - 1950

This photograph by Erich Salomon captures Richard Strauss in his element, baton in hand, ready to conjure symphonic magic. I'm drawn to the way Salomon has framed Strauss, almost like he’s a solitary figure amidst a sea of sound, his focus absolute. You can see the concentration etched on his face, the weight of the music he’s about to unleash. I wonder what it was like for Salomon to capture this moment. Was it a fleeting glimpse, or did he linger, trying to absorb the energy in the room? It makes me think about the times I’m in the studio, trying to capture something elusive on canvas, chasing after a feeling or a thought. Like Strauss with his orchestra, painters wrestle with their mediums and search for that perfect note of colour and form. Whether it’s a conductor raising his baton or a painter loading their brush, it is a conversation across time, connecting creativity in its many forms.