Poort bij het Beihai Park te Peking before 1920

This photograph, "Poort bij het Beihai Park te Peking," was taken by Donald Mennie sometime between 1899 and 1944. It’s a black and white image, and when you see it in person, note the tones and how they create depth. The contrast of light and shadow feels almost like a drawing. The textures, too, play a big role. I love the way the light catches on the surfaces, creating these subtle shifts that give the photograph a real sense of place. It's like Mennie is inviting us to walk through that gate into the park. There's a certain softness to the image, a quietness that pulls you in. It almost feels like a memory, slightly faded but still vivid. This reminds me of some of the early modernist photographs; the way the subject is both present and distant. The way the world keeps unfolding, revealing new ways of seeing, new ways of being.