Door to Shanty, Lake George 1934 - 1937

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph, "Door to Shanty, Lake George," with a camera, of course, and a darkroom, and a great eye. There's a real intimacy to the way Stieglitz frames the shanty. It's like he's inviting you in, but the door is closed, and that tree branch is right in the way. Look at the textures he coaxes out of the wood. The worn planks, the rough-hewn doorframe; you can almost feel the splintery surface. The way the light falls, it’s not overly romantic, but somehow tender. And those stark contrasts draw the eye to the center, where the door becomes a kind of focal point. It's not just a door; it's a mystery. Stieglitz, like his friend Georgia O'Keeffe, was interested in the way everyday objects could be charged with emotion. It’s a bit like those Walker Evans photographs, but with a softer touch. The shanty isn't just a building, it's a feeling, a memory, a state of mind.