Rain over Modoc Lava Beds 1937

Edward Weston made this photograph, Rain over Modoc Lava Beds, using gelatin silver. This is a process that can give a wide range of tonal values. Look at the lower part of the image: the earth and grass are relatively still, but then the clouds are boiling. The light in this image comes from everywhere and nowhere. It is this overall tonality that gives the picture its feel – a kind of epic brooding. The grays are so subtly graded, it's almost like a painting. Think of someone like Gerhard Richter. He blurred photos to make paintings that felt like memories. Here, Weston makes a photograph that looks like a feeling, a weather system in the mind. It’s like he's saying that nature isn't just scenery, it's an experience, a drama, and maybe even a metaphor for our inner lives.