Georgia O'Keeffe 1932

This is a photograph of Georgia O'Keeffe by Alfred Stieglitz. What strikes me first is how stark the light is, washing out some areas and making others recede into shadow. It’s like a high-contrast painting, where every detail is carefully considered, and nothing is accidental. Look at the way the light defines O'Keeffe's face, the sharp line of her nose, and the way it models the planes of her cheeks. The blacks are velvety and deep, especially in her clothing. It feels like Stieglitz is exploring the materiality of light itself, almost sculpting the image rather than just capturing it. The textures created by the light give the image a tactile quality, as if you could feel the smoothness of her skin and the soft knit of her shawl. It reminds me of some of Edward Weston's photographs, particularly his portraits and nudes. Like Weston, Stieglitz finds a way to transform the human form into something almost abstract, a study of form and light. And that, for me, is the beauty of art – its ability to find new ways of seeing the world.