Dorothy True 1919

Alfred Stieglitz captured “Dorothy True” with his camera, a tool offering him a unique way of seeing the world and inviting us to share in his vision. Stieglitz probably pondered the composition for a while, maybe waiting for just the right light to cast those soft shadows. I feel his sensitivity towards his subject. Is she at rest, or in thought? Her gaze meets ours with such directness. The angle of her head, the slight tension in her hand—they speak volumes without uttering a word. Maybe the light filtering in made him think about light reflecting in a Vermeer painting. You know, artists always look at other art! And, sometimes, a portrait is about the relation of the artist and the sitter; that moment they share together. I think this photograph invites us to slow down, to consider the quiet moments of life, and to find beauty in the everyday.