Equivalent 1926

This is a photograph by Alfred Stieglitz, part of his "Equivalents" series, and it's all about capturing clouds, light, and atmosphere, you know, those fleeting moments that are never quite the same. The tones here, ranging from deep blacks to luminous greys, create a really moody feeling, but for me, it's also so painterly! You could almost imagine these clouds rendered in thick impasto, like a Turner painting, all swirling and dramatic. I love how Stieglitz lets the image breathe, there's this one patch in the upper-middle, where the light bursts through, it's a reminder of the potential for transcendence that art holds. It reminds me a little bit of Gerhard Richter's cloud paintings, where the subject is both representational and totally abstract. Ultimately, Stieglitz reminds us that art is about feeling, not just seeing.