Emil C. Zoler 1917

This is a photograph of Emil C. Zoler, made by Alfred Stieglitz. Look at the way the light pools across the surface and gently articulates Zoler's features. I wonder what Stieglitz was thinking when he made this. Did he know Zoler well? Did they have a close relationship? What's amazing about this photograph is the way that Stieglitz coaxes the light to capture not just Zoler's likeness, but his character. You can see a certain intelligence in his eyes, and I can imagine that this was the thing that Stieglitz sought to capture. The pose is quite casual, and he seems relaxed. Photography is a constant conversation between artists, and I feel like Stieglitz here has opened a space of possibility. He seems to be saying that anything can be a subject for art if you look closely enough. Ultimately, what emerges is a sense of being human. It shows the sheer endlessness of human expression.