John Marin 1910

Alfred Stieglitz's photograph, *John Marin*, captures a pensive moment, a slice of time made tangible through shades of gray. It’s all about tone, right? I imagine Stieglitz, positioning Marin, adjusting the light, trying to find the perfect balance between shadow and highlight. I wonder if Marin was even aware of the precise instant the photo was taken. Look at the shadow of his hat, it almost conceals his eyes. Was this intentional? What was Stieglitz trying to capture about Marin’s character, his essence? And those hands! Just hanging there. The casualness suggests a certain level of comfort and familiarity. Stieglitz's portraiture feels less like a clinical recording and more like a sympathetic exploration. It's almost like the exchange and exchange of ideas and creativity that goes on between artists. It reminds us that art-making is a form of conversation.