Equivalent 1930 - 1934

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph, part of his "Equivalent" series, using a camera and darkroom techniques. The “Equivalents” are cloudscapes, carefully composed. Stieglitz was interested in the way the camera could both capture a scene, and also allow the photographer to express their inner emotional state. The clouds are not just clouds; they are stand-ins for feelings. This gets at the core of photography as a medium. The gelatin silver print process transforms light and shadow into a tangible, lasting image. What’s interesting here is the sheer amount of work that goes into it. You need chemistry, a bulky camera, knowledge of light and exposure. Stieglitz elevated photography to the level of fine art. By choosing such an ephemeral subject, and using such a labor-intensive process, he insisted that it could be just as expressive as a painting or sculpture. We shouldn’t draw distinctions between art and craft, but appreciate the vision and skill that goes into its making.