Georgia O'Keeffe 1929

Here we have a silver print made by Alfred Stieglitz, of Georgia O’Keeffe, sometime in the early 20th Century. This is a strong portrait, full of confidence. Stieglitz plays with shadow and light, mostly sticking to a monochrome palette, but in doing so he allows the tonal variations to pick out the details, to throw certain aspects into stark relief, and almost, to sculpt the image out of darkness. You can see it in the way the light reflects off the tire and car body behind her. O’Keeffe’s hand rests on the car, posed in a masculine way. The whole image is about presenting a strong and independent woman. The contrast between the sharp lines of the car and the softer edges of O’Keeffe’s face is subtle but effective. It reminds me of some of the work of his contemporary Edward Weston, and his nudes of women. Ultimately, Stieglitz’ photograph is about strength, resilience, and a quiet but certain sense of purpose.