Georgia O'Keeffe c. 1918

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph of Georgia O'Keeffe, sometime in the earlier part of the 20th Century. The sepia tones are so soft and diffused, and the subject, O'Keeffe herself, appears to be suspended in a moment of quiet contemplation, the textures really invite you in. The light catches the planes of her face, the hollow of her throat, the soft folds of her clothing. I am drawn to the way her hands are clasped, almost protectively, near her chest. There's a vulnerability there, but also a sense of strength. It reminds me of some of my own work, where I try to capture that push and pull between intimacy and distance. You can see the work of other photographers here like Edward Steichen, who capture similar moods and subject matter. Ultimately, the beauty of this image lies in its ambiguity, in the space it creates for us to bring our own experiences and emotions to the encounter.