From My Window at the Shelton, West 1931

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph, "From My Window at the Shelton, West," in his New York apartment. I imagine him looking out at this view, and the geometric shapes forming the Shelton Hotel dominating the scene. He would have been thinking about how to capture the feeling of modernity, and how to convey the raw energy of New York. The contrast between light and shadow emphasizes the imposing scale and density of urban architecture. Look at that crane—it's like the city is an artwork in progress. Stieglitz crops the composition tightly, emphasizing the towering structures and the patterns of windows. It is cool how he flattens space while creating depth, reminding me of Charles Sheeler's paintings, with their hard-edged precision. Artists are always in conversation, riffing off each other. It's a reminder that seeing is an active process, and photography, like painting, is always an interpretation.