Lake George 1922 - 1924

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph, Lake George, using gelatin silver print. Look at how Stieglitz approaches making marks here, he allows for a range of grays that give the impression of depth in the landscape. It’s like he’s coaxing the image out, rather than imposing it. The textures are fascinating, aren’t they? The way the light catches on the clouds, so soft, and then the dense, almost impenetrable thicket of trees. It’s as if the photograph itself has a kind of skin. My eye keeps getting drawn to that one cloud right at the top, almost like a thought bubble. It’s lighter, fluffier than the rest, a little moment of airiness. This reminds me a little of Edward Steichen's landscapes. There’s something about the atmosphere they both capture, a kind of American romanticism. Art’s like an ongoing conversation, don’t you think? Always borrowing, responding, and questioning.