Untitled (parade through downtown, photographer's studio on route) c. 1930

Editor: This photograph by Hamblin Studio shows a parade in a downtown setting. The high contrast and negative image create a strange, ghost-like effect. What do you see in the composition? Curator: The photograph’s formal arrangement is quite compelling. Note the receding lines of the street creating depth and leading the eye to the background. The varying heights of the buildings establish a rhythmic pattern across the composition. Editor: The repetition of forms really does create a visual cadence. Curator: Precisely. And the negative image encourages us to focus on the tonal relationships rather than the representational aspects. It is through these formal choices that the photograph generates meaning. Editor: I see it now, it's less about the parade itself and more about how it's presented. Thanks!