State Capitol in Salt Lake City 1924 - 1926

This is a black and white photograph of The State Capitol in Salt Lake City, by J. Dearden Holmes. What strikes me is the repetitive nature of the colonnades across the front of the building. I can imagine him setting up his camera, positioning the view just so. There’s something kind of beautiful and melancholy about this image. I am thinking about the light. Did he wait for a certain time of day? Or did he just shoot it, and hope for the best? The greyscale feels so much about touch and feeling, especially when you think about this kind of image. It speaks of form, texture, and a tangible quality. I think, what was J. Dearden Holmes thinking when he took this picture? This image feels like a meditation on scale and monumentality, but also the subtle ways light and shadow can transform a scene. It reminds me that every artist, in their own way, is contributing to a larger conversation.