Untitled (bride and groom, St. Louis, Missouri) c. 1930

Editor: Here we have an undated photograph by Martin Schweig, “Untitled (bride and groom, St. Louis, Missouri)." It’s a sweet image, but the composition feels a little stiff. What do you see in it? Curator: Note the tonal gradations, the interplay of light and shadow shaping the subjects. The almost sculptural treatment of the bouquet, set against the geometric forms of the stone. It’s the artist's precise control of photographic technique that holds our interest. Editor: So, the technique is more important than the subject matter? Curator: Indeed. How Schweig uses the medium to create visual interest outweighs any sentimental value we might assign to the scene. Editor: I see what you mean. I was so focused on the subjects, I missed the artistic elements. Curator: Precisely, and that is the formalist's focus.