New York from the Shelton 1935

This photograph, New York from the Shelton, was captured by Alfred Stieglitz. It’s a monochromatic meditation on the city, a dance of light and shadow played out on the skyline. I imagine Stieglitz, perched high up in the Shelton Hotel, waiting for the perfect moment. The light is soft, diffused, painting the sky in shades of grey. The buildings loom like giants, their forms softened by the atmospheric perspective. There's a real tension here between the sharp geometry of the architecture and the ethereal quality of the light. It reminds me of some of the cityscapes of the Tonalist painters, like James Whistler, who were also exploring the relationship between form and atmosphere. What's so powerful about photography, like painting, is its ability to transform the way we see the world. Stieglitz isn't just documenting New York. He's inviting us to experience it, to feel the pulse of the city, to contemplate its beauty and its contradictions. Each artist builds on the work of their predecessors, engaging in a visual dialogue that spans generations.