Tree Set 2 c. 1924

Alfred Stieglitz made this gelatin silver print, Tree Set 2, at an undetermined time, and what gets me is how photography can be like drawing. Here, the tree's bare branches scratch out lines against a moody sky, kind of like charcoal on paper. Looking closely, there's a subtle gradation in the grey tones, a real physicality to the atmosphere. Notice the broken branch reaching out – it's like a defiant gesture, a sharp mark interrupting the softer textures of the clouds. It anchors the composition, but also adds a touch of melancholy. Stieglitz, like his contemporary Georgia O'Keeffe, was always experimenting, pushing the boundaries of his medium. You can see some similarities with Minor White's work – that same quest to find the emotional core of a subject through careful observation and dark, moody tones. It makes you think about the different ways artists see and feel, and how they translate that into something we can all connect with.