Georgia O'Keeffe and Orville Cox, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona Possibly 1937 - 1981

Ansel Adams made this gelatin silver print of Georgia O’Keeffe and Orville Cox at the Canyon de Chelly National Monument in Arizona. The magic of photography lies in its alchemical process. Light is captured on a treated surface, silver in this case, rendering tones and textures with incredible fidelity. Adams was a master of this process, known for his sharp focus and dramatic contrasts. Here, the very act of taking the photograph implicates labor and class. Adams, the artist, frames O'Keeffe, the established painter, alongside Cox, a local guide. The photograph captures not only their likenesses, but also their relationship—a dynamic of power and knowledge played out against the backdrop of the American West. Ultimately, Adams' photograph reminds us that all images are made, not simply taken, and that the choices made in the making process reflect the complex social realities in which they are created.