Untitled [log cabin c. 1915

This photograph of a log cabin was taken by Theodore Eitel, but we don’t know exactly when. The soft, grayscale tones create a mood that is both rustic and gentle. You can tell Eitel was interested in textures. Look at the way the light catches on the rough-hewn logs of the cabin and the way the garments hanging on the wall fold in the shade. There’s a real sense of depth and substance. I am drawn to the out-of-focus leaves hanging above the roof; they are like a curtain pulled back on a scene. The details invite you to look closer. Eitel's work reminds me a bit of Clarence White, another photographer who used light and shadow to evoke emotion. Photography, like painting, is a conversation across time, about how we see and feel the world around us. There is no singular perspective, only different interpretations.