Flims gezien vanaf Les Hêtres before 1898

This photograph, "Flims Seen from Les Hêtres" by Carl Lang, taken in August 1896, captures a village nestled within a landscape of layered depth. The composition is structured by a stark contrast between the dark foreground of dense foliage and the light, airy vista of distant mountains. This division invites a semiotic reading, where light and shadow represent opposing yet complementary forces. The photograph invites the viewer to consider how it destabilizes traditional landscape values by emphasizing a specific viewpoint. Lang's careful use of tonal range gives texture to the natural elements. The arrangement of forms directs our gaze towards the village, suggesting a visual narrative. The image offers a glimpse into how photography at the time engaged with ideas of framing and perspective, and also how these elements contribute to the meaning and experience of the work.