Dorothy Norman 1930 - 1931

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph of Dorothy Norman, of course, with a camera, but what kind of camera? What lens? And what kind of paper did he print it on? Look at how sharp it is, especially around her eyes, and the soft gradations of light and shadow. The way the light falls on her face makes me think he positioned her near a window, maybe a north-facing window to get that even, diffused light. And that’s Dorothy Norman, the artist, writer, and gallerist. I bet she knew exactly what Stieglitz was doing, and how to sit for him. Was she thinking about how the photograph would turn out? Maybe she trusted him completely. Or maybe she was wondering what she would have for lunch? There’s something so intimate about a portrait, a captured moment between two people. It's like they are sharing a secret.