Ellen Koeniger, Lake George 1916

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph, Ellen Koeniger, Lake George, using gelatin silver. Looking at this photograph I think of what it might be like to dive in and be immersed in the cool, enveloping water, like the swimmer in the photo. The picture is mostly dark with a bright area where her body and face are visible, and some reflections are bouncing all around. I can imagine Stieglitz standing on the shore, looking out at the water, waiting for the right moment to capture her expression and the way the water moves around her. It’s all about seeing and feeling, just like painting, where you're trying to catch something fleeting and turn it into something lasting. Painters and photographers share this desire to capture a moment, a feeling, a truth. Stieglitz, like many artists, was pushing the boundaries of his medium, exploring what photography could do. We are all inspired by each other’s creativity.