Miss S.R. Possibly 1904 - 1934

Alfred Stieglitz created this intimate portrait, Miss S.R., with a camera, and it's the silvery tones that really draw me in. It’s like he’s painting with light, layering shades of gray to give shape and depth. Looking closely, the texture of her coat, almost like felt, contrasts with the smooth skin of her face. The way the light catches in her eyes, it’s soft, not sharp. This reminds me that photography, like painting, is all about touch, about feeling the surface of the world and translating that into something else. That feathered embellishment on her hat, for example, it's such a tiny detail, but it adds a sense of lightness, a playful counterpoint to the formality of her clothes. I see echoes of photographers like Julia Margaret Cameron, who also used soft focus to capture the spirit of her subjects. Ultimately, Stieglitz suggests that art is not just about what we see, but how we feel.