Hedge and Grasses - Lake George 1933

Alfred Stieglitz made this gelatin silver print, Hedge and Grasses - Lake George, sometime in his life. The high contrast pulls you in, and I think it's fair to say that Stieglitz's darkroom alchemy gives us something deeply felt. The darks are so deep, it feels like you could fall into them. Then there's the delicate dance of light and shadow in the grasses at the bottom – they’re almost vibrating with energy. It makes you wonder what kind of paper he chose, and how he manipulated the development process to get these effects. Look at how the hedge becomes almost a solid mass, dense and impenetrable. And then, right next to it, those slender blades of grass, each one distinct. It's a study in textures, a symphony of contrasts. I find it helpful to think about how Agnes Martin also used seemingly simple subjects to convey deeper emotions. Ultimately, Stieglitz invites us to see the world with fresh eyes, to find beauty in the everyday, and to embrace the mystery that lies just beneath the surface.