Gezicht op het Groothoofd en de Groothoofdspoort in Dordrecht met op de voorgrond een roeiboot c. 1900 - 1910

This small photograph of Dordrecht and the Groothoofdspoort, made by G. Hidderley, captures a gray and misty moment in time. Look at how the architecture looms above the small boat in the foreground. The human figures are dwarfed by the buildings. What were they thinking? Where were they going? Was the dog hoping for a walk or a swim? Did the photographer see this scene and think about how to frame it? I wonder how the image looked as it was developing in the darkroom, slowly revealing itself as the chemical reactions took place? Photography, like painting, has its own unique material qualities. The surface, tone, and texture contribute to the feeling it gives us. While painters and photographers don't always see eye to eye, they are both visionaries, each learning and inspiring each other's work across media. Making art is about being in conversation with other artists.