Portrait of Georgia, No. 3 or Songs of the Sky 1923

Alfred Stieglitz made this gelatin silver print, "Portrait of Georgia, No. 3," or "Songs of the Sky," with a camera, a tool that freezes a moment, but also, and importantly, a process. Look at how Stieglitz coaxes the light to describe the clouds, like soft pillows or maybe ephemeral thoughts. The tonal range is incredible, with deep blacks that feel like a night sky, and luminous whites that suggest an otherworldly glow. Notice the bottom left corner, where the clouds seem to cradle a hidden light source, they almost vibrate with energy. This area anchors the composition, but it's also a kind of visual metaphor, for hidden depths, or maybe even the creative spark itself. Stieglitz and his partner Georgia O’Keeffe really pushed the boundaries of what their respective mediums could express, it is as if they are in conversation with each other through their art, constantly exchanging ideas about form, light, and the emotional power of abstraction. For both of them, art wasn't about representation, it was about feeling.