Dying Poplar and Live Branch—Lake George 1932

This photograph, made by Alfred Stieglitz, captures a cluster of trees, stark against what could be a winter sky. It’s almost like looking at a drawing made with a very fine, delicate pen. I can imagine Stieglitz, out in the cold, composing this shot, thinking about contrasts – the bare, reaching branches versus the solid trunks, the dying against the living. I’m wondering, what was he trying to say? This image is not just about documentation. The composition, the light... Look at how the branches intertwine, creating a dense network of lines. It reminds me of Cy Twombly’s scribbled paintings but in nature. And the way the light catches on some branches but not others gives depth to the whole image. You can almost feel the texture of the bark. Maybe he saw something human in these trees. I always think artists look at each other's work and find new ways to see. This piece makes me want to go out and look at trees, really look.