Capitol Reef, Utah 1961

Minor White created this gelatin silver print, Capitol Reef, Utah. I see the artist’s eye zooming in on the abstract qualities of the natural world, seeking to find forms and textures that evoke an emotional or spiritual response. Like a painter with a brush, White coaxes light and shadow to reveal the hidden beauty within the ordinary. It makes me think about the physical act of climbing and reaching with a camera; the patience required to wait for the perfect alignment of light and shadow, and the satisfaction of capturing a fleeting moment of sublime beauty. Looking at this reminds me of Georgia O'Keeffe’s close-up studies of flowers, where she found the sensuous and the sublime in the everyday. Ultimately, it’s about seeing the world anew, and finding inspiration in the work of others.