Georgia O'Keeffe 1935

Alfred Stieglitz made this portrait of Georgia O'Keeffe using photography. Look at the tonal range, the way the light is captured, how it models her face and clothes, and how the dark background makes the image pop. The textures are incredible. The weave of her shirt, the shadows in the blanket, the soft skin of her hands, it's almost like you could reach out and touch them. There's a naturalism here, unvarnished and direct. The light falling across her face is where it's at. The way he captures the details of her face, the tiny lines around her eyes, the set of her jaw, creates an intensity. It's interesting to compare this photo with O'Keeffe’s paintings, because they share a similar clarity and precision, but also a kind of romanticism. They both offer their own distinct way of seeing and experiencing the world.