Mae Murray 1918

This is a portrait of Mae Murray by Adolph de Meyer and you can see how he’s really working with light to make a mood. It's all about the process, how you get there is everything. Look at the way the light seems to glow, everything is soft like it’s come to life in this black and white photograph. It’s a celebration of texture from the wispy tree branches to the intricate lace on her dress, a dance of highlights and shadows. The light is almost like a paint, giving it a sense of fluidity. It’s interesting how he captures a feeling of romance and nostalgia with a very material process. It makes me think of how we can play with different materials to create an atmosphere, just like how artists like Uta Barth plays with light and focus, in photographs. Art is an ongoing conversation, embracing ambiguity and multiple interpretations.