Zeilboten, vermoedelijk in de wateren van Sydney c. 1890 - 1910

Charles Bayliss captured this photograph, "Zeilboten, vermoedelijk in de wateren van Sydney," using a technique that would have been relatively new to many at the time. Consider the date that Bayliss was working, just a few decades after photography became popularized. What does it mean to document the landscape and the people? In Sydney, Australia, at this time, the colonial project was in full swing. These sailboats may represent leisure and recreation, but they also subtly suggest themes of exploration, trade, and the assertion of dominance over natural resources. Who gets to enjoy the waters? Who benefits from the activities taking place on them? There is a stillness in the image, a quietness that belies the larger narrative of colonial expansion. This photograph encapsulates a moment in time, inviting contemplation on the complex interplay between progress, identity, and place.