Katherine (Lake George Cook) 1921

Alfred Stieglitz made this gelatin silver print, Katherine (Lake George Cook), sometime in his career. Isn’t it interesting that a photo can feel just like a painting? Looking at this, I feel like I'm right there with Katherine, maybe even a little nervous, wondering how the shot will turn out. Stieglitz captures a casual moment— Katherine standing outside in her bathing suit. He creates these different tones—this almost glossy effect. The sheen and dark shadows of the bathing suit contrast with the soft out-of-focus foliage behind her. I imagine Stieglitz setting up his camera, carefully adjusting the focus, considering the light, so aware of her presence. The small size of the image is really striking too—it's a small window onto a shared moment. This image reminds me of some of my friends, Alice Neel and Joan Semmel, who painted portraits of friends and family, celebrating the everyday. It’s cool how artists, through a range of mediums, are always building on each other’s work, expanding how we see and feel the world.