Lake George 1926

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph of Lake George sometime in his life using gelatin silver print. The tones in this photograph just melt together, don't they? It is all about the movement of light. You can see how Stieglitz coaxes the shades of gray from the paper, building up areas of dark and light. It's a slow, deliberate process, a dance between the eye, the hand, and the materials. Look at the way the clouds hover over the lake; the water seems to reflect all the turbulence of the sky. The textures feel so alive, almost breathing. When I look at it, I think of Whistler. There is that same interest in atmosphere and tonal harmony, that sense of the painting as a mood. Ultimately, this photograph captures a fleeting moment. But it also embodies a timeless quality, an ongoing conversation about seeing and feeling, about the world around us and the art within us.