Untitled (view of farm buildings) 1854

Editor: This is an untitled photograph by John Adams Whipple, showing farm buildings. It’s a very textured image; the contrast between light and dark creates depth. What do you see in the composition of this image? Curator: Note how Whipple uses the tall trees to frame the central structures, guiding the eye. The tonal range, from the deepest shadows to the highlights on the wooden planks, articulates form. The textures create a play of light which is a key component of the image's success. Editor: So it’s the arrangement and treatment of light that makes this work interesting? Curator: Precisely. Whipple understood how to use light to define form and draw the viewer in. The photograph shows the formal capabilities of the medium in its infancy. Editor: I see that now, thanks for pointing it out. I’ll definitely look at photographs differently.