Seneca Lake, New York 1973

Roger Mertin made this photograph, Seneca Lake, New York, with gelatin silver. Look at that tree, its dark mass pushing up against the horizon line of the lake. I bet Mertin was thinking about light and texture. Photography is painting with light, right? The stark contrast between the foreground and background creates a sense of depth. The bark of the tree, the way it’s gnarled and textured, becomes almost sculptural. It reminds me of some of Alfred Stieglitz's photographs, especially in its stark beauty. But Mertin's got his own thing going on. I feel like I'm standing right there, feeling the cool air off the lake. It makes you think about how artists, no matter their medium, are all in conversation with one another, borrowing, riffing, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.