Parade in Berlijn c. 1939 - 1940

This photograph, Parade in Berlin, was taken by the Associated Press. It captures an ambiguous moment in time, with so much hidden from view. I feel like I'm catching a glimpse of something much larger and more ominous. I wonder what it was like to be the photographer? They must have been thinking about framing, composition, and capturing a sense of motion. There's something haunting about the way the light falls on the building behind the parade. The sharp shadows cast by the flagpoles create this sense of unease. And what about the women? Do they know what they are doing? Are they complicit? Photographs like this remind me that every artwork is a product of its time and place. There are so many historical forces at work. I think of how we constantly respond to each other and how these images make us reflect on our values.