Poplars—Lake George 1936

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph, "Poplars—Lake George," using a camera and darkroom processes. Stieglitz was a key figure in the Photo-Secession movement, which advocated for photography as a fine art. Consider the making of this image. A heavy camera, glass plate negatives, and the labor-intensive darkroom work needed to produce the print. The final result, however, has the immediate quality of a snapshot. Notice how the stark, slender trees reach up to the sky, set against a backdrop of rolling hills and dramatic clouds. This composition is carefully considered, yet seemingly captured in a fleeting moment. Stieglitz elevates photography to the level of painting through his attention to composition and light, while using modern industrial materials. He challenges us to see photography as a handcrafted medium. His work encourages us to reconsider the value of all forms of making, whether industrial or artistic.