Ghost Rock, Colorado Springs 1919

Laura Gilpin made "Ghost Rock, Colorado Springs" using photography, and the result is a misty scene. Gilpin lived through times of enormous change in gender roles and technology. She was part of the Pictorialist movement, where photographers used soft focus to mimic painting. In this image, taken in Colorado Springs, you might notice how Gilpin manipulates light and shadow to create a world between reality and the ethereal. It feels like she is interested in capturing the mood of a place, and that mood can be interpreted as loss. As an unmarried woman who was invested in her career, Gilpin was something of an outsider, yet her images show great empathy. I wonder if you feel a sense of isolation, or conversely, of peace when looking at this photograph? Gilpin avoids the picturesque, and instead invites a personal, reflective experience. Her “Ghost Rock” reminds us that landscapes carry the weight of untold stories and unspoken emotions.