Herbert J. Seligmann 1921

This photograph, "Herbert J. Seligmann" by Alfred Stieglitz, captures more than just a face; it's a study in light and mood. Stieglitz teases out a full range of tonal variations from the sepia, giving the image a hazy, dreamlike quality. It's not just about recording what's there, but about feeling it, too. Look at the way the light catches Seligmann's glasses, creating these shimmering halos. It's almost as if Stieglitz is trying to capture the essence of thought itself. And then there's the soft focus, which blurs the background and puts all the emphasis on Seligmann's face. It's a way of saying, "This is what matters." Stieglitz, like his contemporary Edward Steichen, was a master of photographic portraiture, and you can see both artists using similar darkroom techniques to achieve painterly effects. It really shows you that art isn't just about what you see, but how you see it.