Strand bij Mount Lavinia (Colombo) met palmen, villa en kind in de branding c. 1900 - 1920

This photograph, Strand bij Mount Lavinia, was made by A.W.A. Plâté & Co. It's interesting how the dark, heavy strokes of the palm trees contrast with the ethereal villa in the background, almost like a dream. The way the light reflects off the wet sand makes you feel the heat of the sun and the cool of the water. The single child in the water is a key mark, drawing you into the scene, inviting you to imagine their story, their day. There's a rawness to the image, a sense of immediacy, as if the photographer were right there, capturing a fleeting moment in time. It's not unlike a painting by Edward Hopper. He has the same way of isolating figures in landscapes. This photograph embraces that same kind of open-endedness. It's not about answers. It's about possibilities.