Gezicht op rustende soldaten in een veld tijdens de grote reis door Transvaal onder bevel van Lord Roberts (Frederick Sleigh Roberts) 1901

This small photograph shows resting soldiers, anonymous but real, lying in a field, maybe taking a break from a long march. What was the photographer thinking as they captured this scene? How much planning was involved? Probably not much. What was it like to carry all that equipment across the fields? The tonality suggests a dry, dusty landscape. The light is flat, somehow making the moment even more poignant. I can almost feel the weight of the soldiers’ weariness. The oxen in the background are barely visible through the dust; they were probably tired too. The choice to document a moment of rest is an act of preservation. By framing this scene, the photographer transforms a mundane moment into a narrative. It’s a reminder that every grand journey is made up of small, human moments. Photography—like painting—is about seeing, and what we choose to focus on reveals our own values and perspectives.