New York from the Shelton 1935

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph, New York from the Shelton, without specifying a date, using gelatin silver print. It's amazing how the simplicity of black and white can speak volumes about form and texture, isn't it? Here, the velvety blacks in the foreground create a stark contrast with the crisp, detailed buildings in the background. The light almost sculpts the architecture, highlighting the grid-like patterns of windows. Look how Stieglitz plays with shadow and light, turning buildings into almost abstract shapes. The soft gradations feel so considered and elegant, don't they? It feels like the process of making the image is just as important as the image itself. I see a kind of kinship with the precision and stark beauty of Charles Sheeler’s architectural photography, though Stieglitz brings a certain poetic sensibility to his work. In the end, it’s not just about what’s depicted, but how we see it. There is no right answer, only the ongoing conversation that art invites us to join.