Field notes
Observations of shape, material, light and the spaces between them.
Alongside the photographs
All notesWeather on the Surface
Glass often disappears when it is clean and evenly lit, but weather makes its presence unmistakable.
Read the noteThe Window as a Measure of Time
A window can register time without showing a clock. Pale morning light enters at a low angle and stretches shadows across a sill; stronger midday light reduces those shadows and clarifies surface detail.
Read the noteFrames Within the Frame
Window construction introduces order before any subject appears beyond the glass.
Read the noteWalls That Hold Openings
A window is always shaped by the material around it. Rough plaster makes a clean white casement appear especially crisp, while a deep stone recess gives tall church glass weight and distance.
Read the noteThe Quiet Drama of Partial Light
Several scenes resist full illumination. A seated figure remains dark before a modest window, and a nearly empty room receives only a narrow wash from an open casement.
Read the note