Georgia O'Keeffe 1920 - 1922

Alfred Stieglitz captured Georgia O'Keeffe in this photograph, using light and shadow to sculpt her figure. It's like he's painting with light, a process of revealing and concealing. The stark contrast between the creamy sky and her dark cloak is so dramatic. Her face is soft, but there's a sharpness to the edge of the hat. The way the light catches her cheekbone? Incredible. It’s a study in tonal range, but also in presence. Stieglitz really knew how to make black and white sing. Thinking about other photographers who explored portraiture as a way of revealing inner worlds, August Sander comes to mind. But here, with Stieglitz and O’Keeffe, there's an intimacy, a dialogue happening right before your eyes. It suggests that art thrives on exchange and interpretation, resisting the urge to deliver one single meaning.