Georgia O'Keeffe 1932

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph of Georgia O'Keeffe using gelatin silver. It's all about seeing, isn't it? The silver gives it this glow, a light that seems to come from within the frame. And the way he captures O’Keeffe's face, so direct, so present. You can sense the texture of her skin, the way the light catches her brow, the detail of her hand resting on the car window. It’s not just a portrait, it’s like he’s trying to capture her essence. Look at the way he uses light and shadow to define her face, to bring out the depths of her eyes. It’s almost sculptural, the way he models her face with light. There’s a quiet intensity to it, a feeling of intimacy, as if you’re sharing a private moment with her. Stieglitz was a master of capturing a feeling, and this photo is no exception. It's a far cry from his earlier soft focus portraits, and in its directness feels like a statement about the nature of modern relationships. Ultimately, it asks more questions than it answers.