Fred Varnum 1920

Alfred Stieglitz captured this image of Fred Varnum using a camera and photographic printing process. Though these are now commonplace, at the time photography was still a relatively new medium, and Stieglitz was among those who championed it as a fine art. The tonal range in the image—the subtle gradations from light to dark—are critical here. Stieglitz coaxed these out through careful exposure and development, but also by selecting printing papers that would yield the desired effect. The texture of the paper itself is also important; it gives the photograph a tactile quality, almost like a drawing. Consider also the labor that went into making this image. Not just Stieglitz's technical expertise, but also Varnum's labor, etched into his face. Photography’s rise was tied to wider social issues, including the changing nature of work. It democratized portraiture, making images of everyday people accessible in a way that painting never could. It also provided artists like Stieglitz with a new means of expression. This challenges the distinction between the work captured, and the work required to create this photograph.