Equivalent 1925

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph, Equivalent, and it’s all about the sky, the clouds, and the weather. Look at it! I can imagine him watching the clouds form, swirl, and drift, then choosing a moment to capture with his camera. It’s all tonal, a dance of light and shadow, not unlike the way some painters layer translucent glazes to create depth. The dark areas are inky and dense, while the lighter parts seem to dissolve into nothing. I'm thinking about Turner’s paintings and the way he used light to create atmosphere. Stieglitz must have been trying to achieve something similar, using photography instead of paint. It’s a reminder that artists of all kinds are in constant conversation, riffing off each other's ideas across time. Ultimately, it’s about finding a form to express feeling. Ambiguity allows for multiple readings, letting meaning shift with our own moods.